Islamabad:
Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued messages to the prosecution-Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)-on the acquittal petitions filed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana-II case and sought a response.
An IHC bench consisting of Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on Tuesday took the couple’s petitions sought their acquittal in a case related to alleged abuse of the state’s gift storage – Toshakhana – rules for getting a precious Bulgari jewelry set as a gift by Saudi Royal’s under IMRAN’s term as prime minister.
Imran’s adviser Salman Safdar, who presented arguments, said a Toshakhana case had also been framed before, and Toshakhana-II court case was now in his last stages.
“In Toshakhana-I, my client was convicted, but an IHC division bench suspended this verdict. The Toshakhana-II case was based on the same Bulgari course-if it exists, tell us,” he said.
He accused the authorities of resorting to a political victim of his clients, he said, along with chiffened case, was also sentenced to my client in the Toshakhana-in-case. After Bushra Bibi was acquitted in an IDdat case, she was re -starred at Gate # 5 in Adiala prison, he added.
He said there was hardly any agency in Islamabad that had not investigated the Toshakhana case, adding that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) began the investigation, then took over the FIA and started its own probe.
When the court asked if the case also involved the abuse of authority, Safdar replied that everything was written in the post. “Justice Miangul [Hassan Aurangzeb, then an IHC judge] had given bail to both accused in this particular case, ”he added. The court ordered Safdar to submit copies of all related court decisions.
Safdar informed the court that 19 witnesses had registered their statements so far before the court had made trials in the Toshakhana-II case. “There are a total of 35 witnesses. We are tired of hearing about Toshakhana over and over again,” he added.
Safdar called on the right to prevent the trial from taking off his final judgment. The court postponed the hearing and stated that it would investigate it. A written order would be issued later.
According to the charging sheet, Imran Khan abused his position as prime minister to acquire a Bulgari jewelery set, which the Saudi Crown Prince presented as a gift during the couple’s visit to Saudi Arabia between May 7 and May 10, 2021.
The set included a ring, bracelet, necklace and a pair of earrings. According to the evidence collected during the investigation, Imran and Bushra illegally retained the set.
On May 18, 2021, the Deputy Militarian Secretary’s officer informed the Officer of the Section about Toshakhana about the need to assess and declare the price of the gift, but it was not deposited.
Bulgari sold the necklace for 300,000 euros and earrings for 80,000 euros for a Saudi franchise on May 25, 2018.
