TAXILA: Chakwal police detained journalist Imran Riaz Khan from the Attock district courthouse shortly after a judge dropped a treason charge against the anchorperson and granted his freedom due to a lack of evidence in an early morning ruling.
In the early hours of Thursday, a local court awarded respite to the journalist who had been detained by Attock police near Islamabad on Tuesday night. However, the relief was only temporary, as Chakwal police were waiting outside the courtroom to arrest the journalist.
The judge had earlier denied the Chakwal police's request to take the anchorperson into their custody, criticising them for not "adhering to legal procedures."
In his ruling, the judge stated that Imran Riaz "cannot be turned over to Chakwal police." But as Mr. Riaz left the courtroom after being freed, he "voluntarily" turned himself in to the police team that was waiting for him. They then took him to a police station in Chakwal.
Just before daybreak, the judge announced the decision and ordered the journalist's immediate release.
Decision made public before daybreak
Judge Tanvir reserved his decision, which called for the journalist's release, at three in the morning. Around four in the morning, as the judge announced the verdict, he ordered the journalist's immediate release. The judgement was announced at daybreak, making it the only early morning verdict in Attock's legal history, according to attorneys who commented on it.
The accused Imran Riaz Khan is hereby released from this case, the judge had said. "At this time, the matter in hand is not a case of adequate evidence which connect[s] the accused Imran Riaz with the commission of the criminal as reflected in the crime report," the judge had said.
The ruling continued, "It is observed that the accused present in the court did not use any insulting remarks or any other phrase which may be said that the accused committed the offences levelled in the FIR after hearing and viewing the entire [footage] at this stage."
After following legal procedures, police can look into the situation further, but only in accordance with the law, it was added.
0 Comments