Islamabad court grants one-day physical remand of Ali Amin Gandapur

The prosecutor sought a five-day physical remand of the PTI leader.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A local court granted one-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday.

The duty magistrate began hearing in connection with threatening audio case filed against Gandapur, in which the prosecutor sought a five-day physical remand of the PTI leader.

At the beginning of the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that Gandapur had to undergo a test and the police had to collect evidence.

He read out the details of FIR against the PTI leader, saying Gandapur mentioned the plan to attack Islamabad in the audio linked to the case. He said that the former lawmaker threatened to gather weapons to fight against the police.

"This was a part of the attack on the judicial complex," the prosecutor said adding that all the offences included in the FIR were of serious nature and were non-bailable.

The prosecutor argued that a suspect could be sent on remand for 90 days. At this, the magistrate inquired that the prosecution had demanded a 15-day remand. The prosecutor stated that it was the minimum duration that they had requested.

At this point, Gandapur's lawyer Babar Awan started his arguments, saying the date and time mentioned in the FIR were of immense importance, while it didn't mention the police or the individual responsible.

"The complaint stated that [the complainant] was sitting in his house when the audios of Ali Amin were aired," Awan stated.

He contended that it wasn't the first time as the audios of Maryam Nawaz and former chief justice had also surfaced.

Awan maintained that the cop who felt "threatened" after Gandapur's speech didn't even file the case. He also stated that the PTI leader wasn't supposed to be presented in this court as it was a terror case.

The counsel then requested the court to discharge Gandapur from the case.

"I am ready to listen to his [Gandapur's] speech, but first police should answer my question. Was there a TV switched on at Golra Police Station where the case was registered," he asked.

Gandapur's counsel also asked about the progress of investigations as his client was under police custody for 24 hours. The lawyer moved the court to send the PTI leader on remand for only 24 hours so that he could be presented in an ATC.

The court then handed over Mr Gandapur to the police on one-day physical remand. The magistrate ordered the police to produce Gandapur before the anti-terrorism court (ATC) tomorrow.

A day earlier, a court of judicial magistrate-I in Dera Ismail Khan ordered the handing over of Mr Gandapur to the Islamabad police. A case has been registered against him with the Golra police of the capital city under charges of terrorism and treason.

In the said audio, Ali Amin Gandapur had threatened that if Imran Khan is arrested, Islamabad will be occupied and taken over. He also threatened the Islamabad Police with dire consequences.