- Khan’s lawyer requested a change of bench which was denied.
- The court adjourns the hearing of Toshakhana’s case to January 28.
- IHC rejects the request for a stay of the first instance legal proceedings.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding the acquittal petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his marries Bushra Bibi in new Toshakhana affair.
The court sought the FIA’s response on the issue and adjourned the hearing to January 28.
Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas presided over the hearing on the acquittal pleas.
During the trial, Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar requested the court to stay the trial. Justice Raja Inam, however, rejected the request, saying: “There is no legal precedent to stay the criminal proceedings at this stage. We will issue an opinion regarding your request and hear the other party.
Safdar also sought a change of judge, suggesting that Justice Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, who had previously heard related petitions, preside over the acquittal pleas.
Justice Inam rejected the application, clarifying that these cases concerned bail applications, while the current case concerned acquittal pleas. “These were bail applications, which is another matter. This court will hear this case. Present your arguments on the merits of the case,” he said.
Safdar further argued that the trial proceedings should be stopped due to conflicting court orders.
Justice Inam replied: “The charges have already been framed before the trial court and the statements of the witnesses are being recorded. It would not be appropriate to interrupt the procedure at this stage. We will issue notice and not delay the matter for very long.
The FIA accused the couple of abusing their position to keep a Bulgari jewelry set from Toshakhana at a significantly reduced price, allegedly causing substantial losses to the exchequer.
The jewelry set, gifted by a foreign leader, included a necklace, earrings, bracelets and rings. According to the FIA, the accused influenced the valuation process to acquire the items at low cost.
In November, Khan’s legal team rejected the allegations, saying the gifts were obtained in accordance with the 2018 Toshakhana policy and paid for according to assessments by customs officials and valuers.
The Toshakhana II affair is the third reference in matters of corruption against the former Prime Minister and his wife. They were charged last month in connection with the purchase of the valuable jewelry set.
Earlier this month, Khan and Bushra Bibi filed acquittal pleas with the IHC, seeking to overturn the Special Central Judge’s November 14 ruling, which rejected their earlier request for acquittal.
The petitioners argued that the trial court’s verdict was against the law and requested their acquittal.
