PTI MPA arrested, gets bail within hours

Nazir Chohan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of the Punjab Assembly, was arrested in a case registered on the complaint of Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar, but was granted bail by a local court within a few hours.

Chohan, who belongs to the Jehangir Tareen group of the ruling party lawmakers, was nominated in a first information report (FIR) lodged in May. Akbar has accused Chohan of having nefarious designs against him and hurt his feelings.

On Tuesday, Chohan visited the office of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) where the police arrested him. Later the Racecourse police produced him before a magisterial court. Initially, the magistrate had sent him on 14-day judicial remand, at which his bail application was moved.

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Sitting at the Cantt Courts, Judicial Magistrate Rehman Elahi granted bail to Chohan against surety bonds worth Rs100,000.

Earlier, police had confirmed the arrest of Chohan, saying that he had been taken into custody for interrogation and voice matching. The Jahangir Tareen group expressed concern over the arrest and began consultations on a political and legal strategy on the issue.

Chohan was booked under sections 506 [punishment for intimidation], 189 [threatening public servant], 298 [hurting religious sentiments] and 153 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Akbar had alleged that the MPA levelled false allegations about his faith in a TV show.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)