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Tuesday May 07, 2024

Fawad Chaudhry sent to jail on one-day physical remand

Fawad file contempt of court plea against police for covering his face with cloth during court appeance

By Arfa Feroz Zake
November 07, 2023
Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry is seated next to his wife Hiba Chaudhry at the court in Islamabad on November 7, 2023. — X/@HibaFawadPk
Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry is seated next to his wife Hiba Chaudhry at the court in Islamabad on November 7, 2023. — X/@HibaFawadPk

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has been handed over to the police on a one-day physical remand by the district and sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday in the case pertaining to fraud.

The court's decision came after Prosecutor Adnan Ali requested a five-day extension in the politician's physical remand. Faisal Chaudhry, Fawad's lawyer and brother, opposed the request.

However, the prosecutor said money is to be recovered from the politico and that he is acting evasive. He added that a pistol has to be recovered from him as well alongside an identification parade.

"Fawad Chaudhary is not cooperating with the police," the prosecutor said.

He mentioned that the complainant gave Chaudhry Rs5 million trusting the politician, but upon demanding his money back, Fawad threatened him.

"Fawad Chaudhary has Rs5 million belonging to the complainant," Ali added, informing the court that the police tried recovering the money during the earlier two-day remand obtained in the last hearing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, during the hearing of the case, Fawad told his lawyer to file a contempt of court case against the police which brought him to the court with his face covered with cloth.

Fawad's wife, Hiba Chaudhry met her husband in the court and shared an image of their meeting on X, formerly Twitter.

Faisal requested the court he wanted to file a contempt plea against the act, as the politician is a former federal minister and a Supreme Court lawyer. Fawad's brother asked for the handcuffs on him to be taken off as well, while his family should also be allowed a meeting.

The politician's counsel insisted that the court had asked the police to not cover Fawad's face using a cloth.

Fawad's other counsel, Ali Bukhari said the court's orders have to be enforced by the court. "The court also has to implement the orders for Fawad Chaudhry's medical examination."

Bukhari asked if the complainant entered into any agreement with Fawad Chaudhry and also inquired if there was progress in the investigation in the past three days.

He highlighted that a case against Fawad was filed six months after the episode, while Faisal complained that the police had confiscated his phone.

"Police can misuse Fawad Chaudhary's mobile phone," the lawyer said.

Bukhari maintained that the police cannot withdraw the money in question using the politician's phone.

The court, on Sunday, handed over Fawad to the police, approving his two-day remand, a day after he was arrested from his residence in Islamabad.

The orders came following Fawad's arrest on Saturday, which his wife Hiba claimed was done without any reason. However, it was later revealed that the politician was taken into custody after a complaint was filed against him in Islamabad's Aabpara Police Station for soliciting a Rs5 million bribe in exchange for a job.