Pak court rejects bail pleas of Imran Khan, his wife in new Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the new Toshakhana case, where they face allegations of misusing power to acquire state gifts.

Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand announced the verdict on the bail pleas filed by the couple during a hearing inside the Adiala jail, where the former first couple also appeared, Geo News reported.

The development comes as the duo is set to be indicted in the case on October 2 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was barred from pursuing the matter and the case was transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in line with the Supreme Court's verdict restoring amendments to the anti-corruption laws.

Khan, 71, was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases.

The new Toshakhana case against the couple came to the fore after NAB arrested them shortly after a district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted Khan and Bushra in the iddat case — also known as the un-Islamic nikah case.

During the hearing on Monday, the FIA prosecutor said that the suspects received the Bulgari (Bvlgari) jewellery set from Saudi Arabia and apprised the court that the agency had obtained records of a necklace and earrings from the Foreign Ministry.

"According to the records, both items are valued at Rs71.5 million," the prosecutor said, adding that the couple got it valued at Rs 5.8 million from a private firm.

Requesting the court to deny the couple's bail plea, he said that the suspects also failed to submit the said jewellery set in the Toshakhana repository.

As per Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

Representing Khan and Bushra, Barrister Salman Safdar said the new Toshakhana case was similar to the previous one with similar allegations and approvers.

Referring to the apex court verdict on September 6 restoring the NAB amendments, the lawyer said that the Toshakhana case against his clients should end following the top court's ruling.

The court then reserved its verdict and later announced it after a break in the hearing.

The jewellery set — comprising a ring, bracelet, necklace a pair of earrings — was gifted to the former first lady on her visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2021, as per the NAB's case.

It said Khan and his wife have illegally kept the jewellery set.

Despite securing relief in several cases, the PTI founder remains behind bars after he was booked in the new Toshakhana case and other cases related to the May 9 mayhem.