ISLAMABAD: Following the direction of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the local court to rehear a review petition seeking the physical remand of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and party chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff, Dr Shahbaz Gill, in a sedition case, the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) issued notice to Gill and sought arguments from him.
ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry while hearing the case issued notice to Gill on the federal government’s plea against the rejection of an extension in his physical remand sought under a separate plea in the sedition case.
Gill was arrested by the police on August 9 at Bani Gala Chowk on charges of “sedition” and “inciting the public against the state institutions”.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), legal prosecutor Rana Hassan Abbas, special prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi, and defence counsel Muhammad Shoaib Shaheen appeared before the court.
At the start of the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that the IHC had sent back the review petition against the court’s verdict regarding the rejection of police seeking extension in Gill’s physical remand to session court.
The judge said the court would not start hearing of bail petition until it received the written decision of the IHC.
Shaheen advocate told the court that the court had received a verified copy of the IHC judgment. On this, the judge remarked that the superintendent had informed her that so far the IHC’s decision had not been dispatched.
He further argued before the court that the judicial magistrate had rejected the petition seeking an extension in Gill’s remand.
The court had not issued notice to Gill, he further said.
Special prosecutor, Abbasi, told the court to issue notice to Gill and then hear arguments of both parties.
“Tomorrow they will adopt the stance that they have not received notice, therefore, it is necessary to issue notice to the accused,” he further argued.
He said the IHC had written in its order if necessary, the accused should be handed to the police on physical remand. The judge inquired “what are aspects for which further investigation is necessary from the accused,” adding that many aspects to be investigated to reach the conclusion of the matter.
The special prosecutor said the investigation to find who else was involved in that conspiracy along with Shahbaz Gill was still pending, he said, adding it should also be investigated where the transcript of Gill was prepared and on whose instruction it was prepared.
Abbasi said that initially, the court had granted only two days of physical remand of Gill while the option of 15-day remand was available in the law. He said the Judicial Magistrate passed the judgment without considering all those aspects. The court rejected the police request merely considering one aspect, he said. The court rejected a request for physical remand merely on the statement that mobile phone of Gill was with his driver, he said.
The court, after hearing the arguments, issued notice to Gill and sought arguments from both parties.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till Wednesday (today).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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