IHC approves Fawad Chaudhry's bail in NAB case

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry's bail plea Monday was approved by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after it ordered his release in a case of misappropriation in construction projects in Jhelum.

The court's decision came during the hearing of the case in which the politician was taken into custody by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in December last year.

The hearing of the case was conducted by IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, while Chaudhry's lawyer, Advocate Qaiser Imam, appeared in the court on his behalf. The ex-minister is imprisoned in Adiala Jail on judicial remand in the said case.

During the hearing of Chaudhry’s plea, the NAB prosecutor said: “We have a witness who says that Fawad Chaudhary took a bribe of Rs500,000.”

The IHC chief justice asked him how does Rs500,000 come under the jurisdiction of NAB.

The prosecutor responded saying that the case is still at an inquiry stage and NAB is getting more details.

“I have written to all relevant institutions including the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC),” the prosecutor.

The chief justice questioned that NAB first arrested the man and later sought evidence.

“What is the main evidence against Fawad Chaudhary with NAB?” CJ Aamer Farooq asked. The IHC chief justice got upset after the NAB prosecutor referred to the Supreme Court’s verdict. “Leave the Supreme Court, mention the evidence first,” he remarked.

NAB had taken Fawad into custody in aforementioned corruption case on December 16. The anti-graft body's Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt had signed an arrest warrant for Fawad after which he was taken into custody from Adiala jail — where he was incarcerated in the fraud case.