Toshakhana Case
RAWALPINDI: On Monday, a court in Pakistan rejected the bail pleas of Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and his wife, former first lady Bushra Bibi, in a new case concerning allegations of misusing power to acquire state gifts.
The hearing took place inside Adiala Jail, where both Khan and Bushra were present as Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand delivered the verdict regarding their bail applications.
This latest development comes just ahead of the couple’s scheduled indictment on October 2. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was previously barred from pursuing this case, which has now been transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) following a Supreme Court ruling that restored amendments to anti-corruption laws.
Khan has been incarcerated for nearly a year due to convictions in four cases, which include two related to the Toshakhana, a cipher case, and the un-Islamic marriage case, for which his wife is also imprisoned.
The recent Toshakhana case against the couple emerged after NAB arrested them shortly after they were acquitted of the iddat case by a district and sessions court in Islamabad. During the hearing, the FIA prosecutor presented evidence indicating that the couple had received a Bulgari jewelry set from Saudi Arabia.
He informed the court that the agency had obtained records showing the necklace and earrings were valued at Rs71.5 million, while Khan and Bushra had assessed their worth at only Rs5.8 million through a private firm.
The prosecutor emphasized that the couple had failed to deposit the jewelry set in the Toshakhana repository, which is responsible for storing valuable gifts received by government officials from foreign dignitaries. This repository operates under the Cabinet Division and is intended to preserve goodwill gifts.
In defense of his clients, Barrister Salman Safdar argued that the new Toshakhana case mirrored previous allegations and that the Supreme Court’s September 6 ruling regarding NAB amendments should effectively terminate the case against Khan and Bushra. After a brief recess, the court ultimately announced its decision to reject the bail applications.
The jewelry set in question comprises a ring, bracelet, necklace, and a pair of earrings, which were reportedly gifted to Bushra during her visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021.
According to the NAB’s reference, the couple has unlawfully retained this jewelry set, failing to comply with regulations that require such gifts to be deposited in the Toshakhana.
The reference outlined that the jewelry company had sold the necklace for €300,000 and the earrings for €80,000 in 2018. On May 28, 2021, the estimated value of the jewelry set was recorded at Rs70.56 million, with the necklace valued at Rs50.64 million and the earrings at Rs10.50 million.
Based on the rules, the couple was expected to deposit 50% of the jewelry’s value, approximately Rs30.57 million, into the national treasury. However, due to the undervaluation of the jewelry, the national exchequer reportedly suffered a loss of approximately Rs30.28 million.
The reference also accused Khan and Bushra of misusing their powers, noting that during his tenure as Prime Minister, Khan retained 58 out of 108 gifts received.
Despite securing relief in several legal matters, the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician continues to face multiple charges, including the new Toshakhana case and others related to the unrest on May 9.
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