£190m case: Hearing adjourned till today as accused did not file answers to questionnaires

RAWALPINDI: The Special Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana held hearing of 190 million pounds reference against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi here in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

The accused did not file answers to the questionnaires issued under 342. The court adjourned the hearing till November 20 and sought answers from the accused on the questionnaires.

Accused Bushra Bibi did not appear in court during the hearing. A request for one-day exemption from the presence of accused Bushra Bibi on medical grounds was filed and approved.

Defense lawyers presented a list of 16 witnesses, requesting to be summoned as court witnesses. The court has the authority to summon anyone as a court witness, NAB lawyers said. There is no objection to this request, but the court should keep it for an appropriate time, NAB lawyers said.

According to Criminal Code the accused answer the questions after the testimony of the witnesses is completed, NAB lawyers said.

According to the law, the accused answer the questions under 342. NAB lawyers said that the accused still have the right to present witnesses in their defense.

The NAB lawyers said that the purpose of calling 16 witnesses at this time is only to prolong the case. The court has kept the defense lawyers’ request to call witnesses for hearing at an appropriate time. “We also have no objection to the request submitted by the accused Bushra Bibi on medical grounds,” NAB lawyers told the court. However, a pleader should be appointed along with the request as per the law, NAB lawyers said.

During the hearing, the PTI founder was produced before the court from Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. Usman Gul and Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas appeared in court on behalf of the accused.

Amjad Pervez and Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi appeared on behalf of the NAB along with the legal team.