Imran Khan granted post-arrest bail in £190 million corruption case

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday approved the post-arrest bail petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in £190 million settlement case.

A day earlier, a two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri had reserved the decision following the completion of arguments presented by both sides.

In its short order today, the court ordered the authorities to release the former prime minister against the surety bonds of Rs1 million.

The verdict was announced by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq verbally, however, the written decision would be issued later.

Earlier in February this year, an accountability court indicted the veteran politico and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, in the graft case.

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

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.