Fawad Chaudhry skips indictment in sedition case
Pakistan
The judge has now fixed July 7 as new date for his indictment
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Saturday put off indictment of former information minister Fawad Chaudhry in the sedition case after accepting his exemption plea on medical grounds.
As Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra resumed hearing to frame charges against the former PTI leader, his lawyer informed that Mr Chaudhry could not appear before court due to illness. The lawyer said his client was not well and sought exemption from his appearance.
The judge remarked whether the former minister had been hit be heatstroke. “If Fawad Chaudhry is indicted, he can take a long leave after that,” he remarked.
Later, the judge accepted the exemption plea and ordered Mr Chaudhry to appear before the court on July 7 for indictment.
Earlier, the court had fixed June 24 to frame charges against the former information minister in the case registered against him for his alleged threatening remarks against the officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Police have invoked Sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief), and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code against Fawad over his speech.
