Pakistan: Islamabad court grants bail to Fawad Chaudhry in National Accountability Bureau case

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 1 : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted bail to former Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in the case of misappropriation in construction projects in Jhelum, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
The court issued the orders during the hearing of the case in which Chaudhry was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December, 2023.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri gave bail to Fawad Chaudhry, who remains imprisoned in Adiala Jail on judicial remand in the case, according to Geo News report.
Chaudhry's lawyer, Advocate Qaiser Imam, appeared in court on his behalf. During the hearing of Chaudhry's plea, the NAB prosecutor said, "We have a witness who says that Fawad Chaudhary took a bribe of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 500,000."
The IHC Chief Justice asked him how PKR 500,000 comes under the jurisdiction of NAB. Responding to the judge's question, the prosecutor said that the case is still at an inquiry stage and NAB is gathering more information.
The prosecutor said, "I have written to all relevant institutions, including the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC)." The judge questioned whether NAB first arrested the man and later sought evidence.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned, "What is the main evidence against Fawad Chaudhary with NAB?" The IHC chief justice got upset after the NAB prosecutor referred to the verdict of the apex court, according to Geo News report.
He said, "Leave the Supreme Court, mention the evidence first." NAB had taken Fawad Chaudhry into custody in the aforementioned corruption case on December 16.
The anti-graft body's chairman, Lieutenant General (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt, had signed an arrest warrant for Fawad Chaudhry. Following this, Chaudhry was taken into custody from Adiala jail, where he was incarcerated in the fraud case.
Pakistan's former federal minister has remained in prison since November 4 last year, after he was arrested from his house in Islamabad. He was arrested after a complaint was registered against him in Islamabad's Aabpara Police Station for taking a PKR 5 million bribe in exchange for a job.
In January 2023 too, Fawad Chaudhry was taken into custody from his residence after he publicly "threatened" the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while speaking to reporters outside Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park. However, the then-Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government said it had no hand in his arrest.
In June last year, Fawad Chaudhry apologised to the ECP for allegedly using "intemperate" language targeting the electoral watchdog and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.
He was among the thousands of PTI workers and leaders who were arrested during the crackdown on the Imran Khan-founded party since May 9 for the party's alleged involvement in the riots that claimed at least eight lives and injured dozens of others, Geo News reported.
Notably, protests erupted in Pakistan after Imran Khan was arrested as he appeared in an Islamabad court, to face corruption allegations.
In June, Fawad Chaudhry was also among the PTI leaders who were present during the launch ceremony of the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), which is headed by Imran Khan's close political aide, Jahangir Tareen.