LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued notice to anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan for July 19 on a petition filed by the Punjab government against his discharge in a case registered at Civil Lines police station.
Justice Ali Baqar Najafi heard the petition filed by the Punjab Prosecution Department.
Additional Prosecutor General Punjab Khurram Khan argued before the court that Civil Lines police registered a case against the anchorperson over criticism of state institutions.
He submitted that the anchorperson was produced before the duty magistrate for obtaining physical remand to carry out investigations but the magistrate discharged him in the case.
He submitted that the impugned discharge order was based on the contents of a USB, prepared from the YouTube channel program of Imran Riaz, whereas its authenticity was yet to be determined by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.
Therefore, the magistrate concerned could not give its opinion on the contents, he added.
He further submitted that under Section 167 (2) of Criminal Procedure Code, the duty magistrate had no jurisdiction to discharge the anchorperson. The magistrate could only send the respondent to judicial remand or could send the case to the competent court, he added.
He submitted that the laptop and other material was yet to be recovered from the possession of the anchorperson to retrieve the relevant date as investigation of the case was still underway.
Advocate Azhar Siddique opposed the petition and stated that he represented Imran Riaz before the magistrate concerned in the matter.
However, the court asked Advocate Azhar Siddique to submit a power of attorney in the current matter.
Subsequently, the court issued notices to the anchorperson for July 19 and adjourned further hearing. The court also ordered to fix the petition along with another petition filed by the anchorperson for quashing 18 FIRs registered against him in different cities across Punjab.
It is pertinent to mention here that the anchorperson was released before Eid after the LHC granted bail to him in a case registered by Saddar Chakwal police while hearing his plea against 18 FIRs.
