(Karachi) Former accountability court judge Arshad Malik has passed away due to the novel coronavirus, local media reported on Friday.

As per details, the former judge was under treatment at a private hospital for the past few days after getting infected with coronavirus. He was put on a ventilator after his health deteriorated and succumbed to the disease.

On December 4, 2018, Arshad Malik had handed ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif seven years in jail in the Al Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. He, however, had acquitted him in a second reference related to Flagship Investments.

Following the controversy, the Islamabad High Court initiated disciplinary proceedings and repatriated him to the LHC.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had accused Arshad Malik of convicting Sharif in Al-Azizia reference under pressure by the government.

On July 6, 2019, Maryam Nawaz, in a press conference, showed a video in which Arshad Malik was heard saying that there was “no proof of corruption against the deposed premier” in the Al-Azizia reference.

She said that the judge was blackmailed into convicting Nawaz without any credible evidence. However, Malik had denied Maryam Nawaz’s allegations .