Imran, his spouse seek post-arrest bail in new Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have filed post-arrest bail applications in an accountability court concerning the new Toshakhana case, which involves a jewellery set gifted by the Saudi crown prince.

The applications, submitted by Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, were filed as the couple remains on judicial remand in the Toshakhana case. Advocate Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry emphasized the urgency of the matter, requesting an expedited hearing.

The applications, which name the state and chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as respondents, were filed under Section 9(b) of the NAB Ordinance 1999 and Section 497 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). They request that the accountability court grant post-arrest bail to the couple in the “interest of justice and fair play”.

This development comes as Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi continue to be held in Adiala jail over the Toshakhana reference, filed by the anti-graft watchdog last week. The couple was arrested in this case on July 13, hours after a district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted them in the Iddat case. This acquittal had been the last legal obstacle to their release before the filing of the new cases.

The NAB reference, comprising two volumes, was submitted by NAB investigation officer Mohsin Haroon and case officer Waqar Hassan to the accountability court. The reference will now be reviewed by the registrar of the accountability courts. After any objections are addressed, the reference will be sent to the administrative judge of the accountability court, who will decide whether to hear the case personally or transfer it to another accountability court.

Administrative Judge Nasir Javed Rana is already presiding over the £190 million reference against the PTI founder.

The new NAB reference pertains to a jewellery set gifted to Bushra Bibi by the Saudi crown prince during Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. According to the reference, the jewellery set, which includes a ring, bracelet, necklace, and a pair of earrings, was presented to Bushra Bibi during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021. The reference alleges that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi had illegally retained the jewellery set, which was not deposited with the Toshakhana. It further states that the deputy military secretary had instructed the Toshakhana section officer to estimate and declare the value of the jewellery set.

According to NAB, the necklace was sold by the jewellery company for €300,000, and the earrings for €80,000 on May 25, 2018. However, the price of the bracelet and ring could not be obtained from the company. On May 28, 2021, the jewellery set was valued at Rs70.56 million, with the necklace alone estimated at Rs50.64 million and earrings at Rs10.50 million. As per the rules, 50% of the value of the jewellery set, approximately Rs30.57 million, should have been deposited with the exchequer. The reference states that the national exchequer suffered a loss of approximately Rs30.28 million due to the undervaluation of jewellery. It further accuses the PTI founder and his wife of violating the NAB Ordinance, with an inquiry into the matter initiated by the NAB chairman on August 1, 2022. The reference also alleges that the PTI founder had misused his powers by retaining 58 out of 108 gifts received during his tenure as the prime minister.