ISLAMABAD: An additional district and sessions court on Wednesday remanded PTI Leader Shahbaz Gill in the Islamabad police custody for 48 hours in a sedition case. However, Punjab administration resisted the custody which created a drama. However, finally Capital Police took Gill’s custody.
Additional District and Session Judge Zeba Chaudhry heard the review petition of the prosecution following the directives of Islamabad High Court (IHC).
During the hearing, Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi pleaded that the judicial magistrate had granted only two-day physical remand of the accused after his arrest whereas the prosecution required his custody for further investigation into the matter.
He said that the accused had been lying with the investigators, adding that there was a need to conduct a polygraph test.
He said that the duty magistrate had ignored various aspects in rejecting the request of further physical remand. The prosecution had received further details from PEMRA regarding the interview of the accused.
Rizwan Abbasi said that the accused had admitted before the police that his one mobile phone was with his driver. The investigation officer, he said, had clearly written that the prosecution needed to prob various aspects besides recovering the devices.
It had to be find out that whether the accused had given this statement on advice of someone else or not, he said, adding that who had given approval of the script. He further pleaded that police had not considered Gill’s statement as true then why the judicial magistrate had accepted it as final.
The prosecutor said that in ordinary cases the police were given normally eight days physical remand of any accused but this case was pertaining to a criminal conspiracy. He read out the judgment of IHC and said that it was necessary for the investigation officer to be satisfied with the investigation findings.
The police had found new developments in every day of remand.
He said that the police were requesting further physical remand of the accused so this should be granted. No one could refuse that the accused arrived on TV channel by himself and gave controversial statement.
There was no solid reason before the judicial magistrate to dismiss the request of physical remand, he added.
Concluding his argument, Rizwan Abbasi Advocate contended that the order of the judicial magistrate dated August 12, was unconstitutional and prayed the court to grant the police further physical remand of Shahbaz Gill.
Gill’s Lawyer Suleman Safdar said that some aspects in the remand were kept secret, adding that it was necessary to know the reason that why the police required further remand.
He further contended that the case record was not provided so far. He said that his client had put his mobile in his pocket at the time of arrest and it could be seen in the video as well. If the police had already mobile phone then why it was demanding it, he said.
The lawyer said that the case was based on only words and speech, and the police had already its transcript. The Punjab Forensic Science Agency had sent the report within 24 hours, he added.
Safdar Advocate said that the FIR was registered on the complaint of a magistrate, adding that such case couldn’t be registered without the permission of government. He said the TV anchor questioned his client during program and he answered reciprocally.
The lawyer said that the judicial magistrate didn’t turn down the request and had granted three day physical remand.He said according to the prosecution Gill had admitted his speech, then what left in it.
Gill’s lawyer said that different parts of his client’s speech had been taken to prepare a case against him. Shahbaz Gill was a political leader and a vocal person, he said, adding that he shouldn’t be as much vocal.
The police had added the sections in FIR which could lead to death penalty or imprisonment sentence.
Concluding his arguments, the lawyer said that this case didn’t fall in cyber crimes instead it comes under section-164.
After listening arguments, the court earlier reserved its judgment and later granted the police further two-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill.
Islamabad Police takes Gill into custodyÂ
Islamabad police on Wednesday took accused Shahbaz Gill into custody from Adiala jail as per the court’s orders.
Islamabad Police left the jail with Shahbaz Gill and he was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a medical checkup, a police source said. Gill’s custody was given to Islamabad Police according to the directions of the court.
Earlier, Islamabad police spokesperson rejected all allegations about any kind of violence during physical remand.
The spokesperson further added that Gill underwent regular medical checkups, on the directions of the court and judges, which proved he wasn’t tortured.
He stated that authorities adhered to the orders of the court and expected the jail administration to cooperate.
The spokesperson said that the head of the investigation team and senior superintendent of police personally monitored the entire process.
