Court sets free Nasir Janjua, others in judge video scandal

FIA gives clean chit to suspects accused of pressurising former accountability judge Arshad Malik

ISLAMABAD: A local magistrate in Islamabad set free on Saturday three accused in a video leak scandal involving former accountability judge Arshad Malik owing to lack of evidence against them in the case.

Nasir Janjua, Mahar Ghulam Jilani and Khurram Yousaf were arrested earlier this week and sent on a five-day physical remand after judge Malik nominated them in the FIR, accusing them of blackmailing him.

“Perusal of record shows that though the accused are nominated but during the course of proceedings nothing incriminating could be brought on the record against them,” Judicial Magistrate Saqib Jawad wrote in the written order issued earlier in the day.

Judge Jawad was hearing the case after his colleague Shaista Khan recused herself from hearing it citing 'personal reasons'.

A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official maintained in today's hearing that there was no evidence found against the accused, after which the court ordered their release.



The saga started after PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz in July unveiled a video of judge Malik purportedly showing him confessing that he was pressurised into convicting former premier Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia corruption reference.

The then accountability judge later refused the allegation and accused the Sharif family and their associates of blackmailing him for acquitting the former PM Sharif.

Reacting on the verdict, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the release of three suspects showed that Prime Minster Imran Khan had used FIA for political victimisation.

"This proves that the verdict against Nawaz Sharif was announced under duress," she added.