Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday extended the pre-arrest bail of Nasir Janjua, one of the main accused of the video scandal related to former accountability judge Arshad Malik till Wednesday (July 31).
In its order, the court barred the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) from arresting Janjua.
IHC's acting chief justice Aamer Farooq announced the judgment.
The FIA had previously issued him notice to appear on July 25 but he, instead of turning up before the investigation team, approached the IHC for pre-arrest bail to avoid his possible arrest in the case.
On July 25, the court had granted him interim bail till July 30 against surety bonds worth Rs200,000 and summoned a reply from FIA.
Nasir Janjua, in his pre-arrest bail petition, had stated that all the allegations against him regarding the video-gate scandal were baseless.
The petition stated that Nasir Janjua has nothing to do with preparation of video, participation in video exhibition or displaying of video.
“Petitioner is innocent and ready to join the investigation whenever required,” it added.
Granting the pre-arrest bail to Nasir Janjua till July 30, the IHC has also sought reply from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
FIA had registered an FIR against all the characters of video scandal for blackmailing the accountability court judge.
The SC had taken up the case for hearing on July 16.
The apex court had issued notices to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Raja Zafarul Haq, and others.
On July 12 The Islamabad High Court (IHC) removed accountability judge Arshad Malik from his post over controversial video.
Earlier, judge Malik had written a letter to the IHC refuting PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz’s allegations and the video purportedly showing the judge admitting to lack of evidence against former PM Nawaz Sharif.
In an affidavit submitted to the IHC, Malik denied the contents of the video and termed them as edited, fabricated and aimed to defame him.
This is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice presdient Maryam Nawaz released an alleged video of Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik on July 6, claiming that he had been "pressurised and blackmailed" to convict former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference.
Judge Malik, on Dec 4, 2018, had handed ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. He, however, had acquitted him in a second reference related to Flagship Investments.
