Imran's interim bail plea in judge Zeba Chaudhry case approved

Former prime minister Imran Khan was granted bail till October 13 on Thursday in the case pertaining to threatening a sessions court judge.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief reached an Islamabad sessions court a day before his interim bail, granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week, was to expire. The bail today was granted by sessions judge West Kamran Basharat Mufti against surety bonds of Rs50,000.

The security around the sessions court premises was put on high alert hours before the ex-premier was to appear before the court.

The interim bail

Four days ago, a magistrate in Islamabad had issued warrants of arrest against the former prime minister.

Senior Civil Juge Rana Mujahid Rahim had issued a warrant against Imran on September 30 over his failure to appear before his court.

However, in a rare occurrence, the IHC granted interim bail to the PTI chief till October 7 (tomorrow), on a Sunday.

The IHC formed a bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani specifically for hearing Imran’s plea against his arrest warrant as the court was usually closed on Sundays.

Read ‘Ready to go to prison if arrested’, says Imran after warrant issued

Justice Kayani, during a chamber hearing, granted interim bail to the PTI chief against surety bonds of Rs10,000, stopping police from arresting him.

He also directed the deposed premier to appear before the trial court during this period.

The case

The case against the former prime minister was registered on August 20 with the Margalla Police Station in the federal capital over his remarks at a rally in F9 Park where he warned Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police high-ups of dire consequences, as well as the judiciary for what he had called its “biased” attitude towards his party.

The FIR was lodged hours before another Islamabad police station received a written complaint from a resident of G-11/2 for lodging a case against Imran over making hate-speeches, and inciting rebellion against the army, police and judiciary.

The FIR lodged by the Margalla police said that the PTI chief threatened the additional sessions judge of Islamabad with a view to terrorise the high officials of the police and the judiciary, so that they could not fulfil their duties and refrain from taking action against the PTI due to fear of Imran.

The FIR was registered less than an hour after the PTI chief addressed party workers and supporters at a rally in Islamabad’s F-9 park to express solidarity with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested on sedition charges on August 9.