Court seeks police record in Gill sedition case

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court on Friday sought police records in a sedition case filed against PTI leader Shahbaz Gill, warning that if the documents were not produced, it would “become a problem” for the police officers.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra heard Gill’s post-arrest bail plea, while Faisal Chaudhry and Hafeezullah represented the PTI leader. Gill is facing serious charges after he allegedly incited mutiny within the military while speaking on a private TV channel earlier this month.

He was already facing sedition charges, but the Islamabad police — earlier this week — also registered a case against the PTI leader over possession of an illegal weapon.

He was booked in the case after police raided the incarcerated PTI leader’s room in Parliament Lodges late Monday — where they recovered weapons, a satellite phone, and foreign currency.

The PTI, since Gill’s arrest, has been repeatedly alleging that he has been tortured, humiliated, and sexually assaulted in police custody, however, the police and government deny all claims.

During the raid at his Parliament Lodge’s residence also, Gill told journalists that he had been “sexually assaulted”. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has demanded an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the alleged torture of Gill in police custody.

Currently, the PTI leader is on judicial remand in the two cases which will end on September 7. During today’s hearing, the police could not produce a record of the case before the court.

Judge Supra asked the police why they failed to produce their record. The police officer present at the hearing told the judge that an investigation officer has gone to Karachi “to arrest another suspect” and has taken the record with him. The judge said he was giving the police till 10am and by that time, either the records should be presented to him or the investigation officer.

The police said that this was not possible. At this, the judge chided them, saying that he had not instructed the IO to visit Karachi for an investigation. “If the records do not arrive by then, we will call the SSP or IG Islamabad,” the judge said.

After this, judge Supra adjourned the hearing till 10am and asked the police to provide the records after the break. Once the hearing resumed after the brief break, Gill’s lawyers suggested that if the record does not arrive today, then the court can adjourn the hearing till Monday morning.

The judge then asked the police if they had any reservations. A police officer told judge Supra that the IO would come back to the capital tomorrow evening and the hearing could take place on Monday. Accepting the police’s request, the court said: “If the record is not presented on [Monday], then it will become a problem for the officers.”