Post-Arrest Bail
RAWALPINDI: A special court in Rawalpindi granted post-arrest bail to former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a corruption case, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings. The court’s decision on Monday directed authorities to release the ex-minister, who had been in custody since November, on the condition of submitting a surety bond of Rs200,000.
Fawad, a former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker, faced allegations of accepting a Rs5 million bribe from a citizen in an August 2022 case. Initially, he was remanded in police custody for two days, followed by an extension of physical remand and subsequent placement on judicial remand in Adiala jail.
Faisal Chaudhary, Fawad’s brother and lawyer, shared that the politician has intentions to contest the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024. However, the choice of the political party for which he will contest remains undecided.
Addressing a reported rift between Fawad and his sister-in-law, Hiba Fawad, Faisal stated that the family would handle the domestic matter privately.
Despite the bail approval, Fawad’s release seemed unlikely as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested him in a separate corruption case. NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt signed an arrest warrant for Chaudhry, leading to his detention from Adiala jail. The warrant outlined charges related to corruption, and Fawad was slated to appear before the court.
Earlier, Fawad had also faced arrest in connection with the PTI’s alleged involvement in riots following the May 9 violence, contributing to a broader crackdown on party workers and leaders. In June, he attended the launching ceremony of the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by Jahangir Tareen, a close political aide to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
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