Courts orders release of TV anchor Imran Riaz

Popular anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan was given relief by an Attock court on Thursday when a case against him was dismissed and the police were instructed to let him go if he wasn't wanted in another case.

The Punjab Police brought Imran Riaz Khan before the court and asked for a three-day physical remand.

Before a hearing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for an extension in bail, the police detained him as he arrived at the federal capital from the Islamabad Toll Plaza.

After hearing the case till 3am in the morning, Judicial Magistrate Attock Yasir Tanveer reserved the decision, which was issued later in the morning.

“…..keeping in view the above said facts and circumstances and guidance from the above said case laws, at this moment the case in hand is not a case of sufficient evidence which connect the accused Imran Riaz with the commission of the offence as embodied in the crime report, therefore, the accused Imran Riaz Khan is hereby discharged from this case,” the judge stated in the eight-page order.

The order said that Imran Riaz Khan was to be released immediately if he wasn't needed in any other case, but it was also stated that the police could continue their investigation after following the law if they collected enough evidence. However, any legal action would be taken strictly in accordance with the law.

Imran Riaz Khan was brought before the Attock court on Wednesday following his detention, but the court declined to hear the case because parts of the Prevention Of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 had been added to the FIR.

Later, the anchorperson was brought before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Pervaiz Khan in Rawalpindi, who ordered that the accusations brought against him under the provisions of the PECA be withdrawn and that the case be scheduled for hearing in the Attock court.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official informed the judge that the offences listed in the first information report against Imran were not "actually made out" and that the police had incorrectly filed the FIR based on PECA provisions, and the court then announced the decision.

The FIA official further informed the court that no offence had been committed according to the PECA sections and the FIA did not have the privilege to investigate the matter further.

Earlier, the IHC had disposed of the case and directed him to approach the Lahore High Court.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/punjab/item/114365-courts-orders-release-of-tv-anchor-imran-riaz.html