Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi indicted in £190 million fraud case

An accountability court on Tuesday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the £190 million settlement case.

The hearing of the case was held at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where the ex-premier is serving his sentences in various cases.

Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana issued the verdict that framed charges against the former prime minister and ex-first lady.

The couple has pleaded not guilty to their involvement in the offence related to the alleged embezzlement of £190 million.

Following Imran and Bushra Bibi’s indictment, the regular trial of the graft case will begin on March 6 at Adiala jail.

Background:

In December last year, the National Accountability Bereau (NAB) had filed a corruption refrence against Mr and Mrs Imran and other suspects in the £190 million fraud case.

Other suspects named in the reference were PTI leaders Zulfi Bukhari, Shahzad Akbar, lawyer Barrister Zia-ul-Mustafa Nazeer, property tycoon Malik Riaz and Buhsra Bibi's close friend Farah Gogi.

According to the charges, Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion out of the £190 million sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the Pakistani government as part of the agreement with the property tycoon.

The anti-graft watchdog accused the nominated person of taking undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.

Malik Riaz's assets worth 190 million pounds were seized by Britain's authority during the PTI government.

The agency said the assets would be transferred to the government of Pakistan, however, the then federal cabinet had decided to submit the amount to the Supreme Court on behalf of the tycoon.

Subsequently, the Al-Qadir Trust was established in Islamabad a few weeks after the PTI-led government approved the agreement with the property tycoon.

According to the NAB officials, Khan and his wife obtained land worth billions of rupees from the property tycoon, to build an educational institute, in return for striking a deal to give legal cover to the property tycoon’s black money received from the UK crime agency.