Swati’s physical remand extended for another day

ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad on Sunday further extended the physical remand of PTI leader Azam Khan Swati for a day in the controversial tweets case registered against him.

The senator was presented before a district and sessions court after the completion of his one-day physical remand. The court had extended Swati’s physical remand for interrogation for a day over FIA officials’ request on Saturday.

At the outset of the hearing headed by Duty Magistrate Shoaib Akhtar, prosecution counsel read Swati’s controversial tweet. Meanwhile, the prosecutor requested for a 14-day extension in the PTI leader’s physical remand. He said that Swati is a political figure who has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media account. Recovering Swati’s mobile phone is necessary, he asserted.

“Swati tweeted from his verified account and mentioned the army chief in the tweet,” he added while requesting the court to give more time to the investigation officer for interrogation.

Meanwhile, Swati’s lawyer Babar Awan requested the court not to send his client into police custody. He maintained that there was a legal procedure to launch an inquiry, but officials entered Swati’s house without permission on Saturday.

“A permission letter of the magistrate is required for such a search,” he said. The lawyer said that “someone” was disrespected, but where is that “someone”. Later, the court reserved the verdict and extended the remand of the PTI leader by a day.

Earlier, speaking to media persons, PTI Senator Swati said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and FIA’s director-general are his complainants. He said that he will bring the DG to the court and file a case against the cybercrime wing and its staff.

“They registered an FIR against me and then handed me over to the agencies that inflicted violence upon me,” alleged the PTI leader. He said that he was being questioned why he defended Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, replying that he was Imran Khan’s right hand and is an innocent man.

“I would still defend Senator Saifullah if he was an ordinary worker,” he added. Upon being asked if he stands by his tweet, Swati said that he will do anything for the “Haqiqi Azadi” and will sacrifice everything.

Swati was taken into custody by the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing (CCW) from his home in Islamabad on October 13, after which he was presented before senior civil judge Shabbir Bhatti’s court in the federal capital which approved a two-day remand. The agency’s cybercrime wing had registered a case against Swati later over the controversial tweets.