Indictment of Imran, wife in Toshakhana case deferred again

RAWALPINDI: Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand has once again postponed the indictment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a case concerning the acquisition of expensive jewellery from a Bulgarian company through Toshakhana.

The indictment hearing has been deferred until December 5.During Tuesday’s proceedings held at Adiala Jail, Imran Khan was presented before the court, but his co-accused Bushra Bibi did not appear. On her behalf, an application seeking an exemption from appearance was submitted.

Barrister Suleman Safdar, representing the accused, informed the court that 19 new cases had been registered against Bushra Bibi. He explained that she had approached the Peshawar High Court to seek bail in these newly filed cases and had surrendered before the court in Peshawar.

The defence requested the adjournment of the Toshakhana case hearing until December 9, assuring that Bushra Bibi would appear in court on the next date.Opposing the request, FIA counsel Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi argued that the accused was deliberately avoiding court appearances and requested the issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant.

He asserted that the repeated absence was an intentional attempt to delay the indictment process and urged the court to consider the accused’s conduct over past hearings.After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted Bushra Bibi a final opportunity to appear and adjourned the hearing until December 5.