ISLAMABAD, Aug 19: A judicial Magistrate of Islamabad on Friday directed to conduct another medical analysis of PTI’s leader Shahbaz Gill and ordered to keep him in hospital till August 22, in a sedition case registered by Kohsar Police Station.
The court order said that the two-day physical remand of the accused was not started yet and thus rejected the request of prosecution for further eight days remand.
Shahbaz Gill was produced before before the court of Judicial Magistrate Raja Farakh Ali Khan by the police amid foolproof security arrangements. The court said that the accused seemed not well as he was suffering from asthma and instructed to conduct his medical examination again.
During the course of proceeding, the police requested the court to grant further eight-day physical remand of the accused. At this, the judge asked whether the two days physical remand had completed as the accused had been in hospital. He questioned why the prosecution was demanding further eight day remand.
Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi contended that a medical analysis of the accused was done when he was admitted in hospital. He said that the investigation officer himself could ensure medical check up of the accused in emergency without the directives of the court. It was not written anywhere in the law that the accused physical remand couldn’t be granted in sickness, he added.
He said that the medical officer of Adiala Jail had informed the IHC that Shahbaz Gill was table when he was brought at jail and his medical report was normal. The officer said that health problems appeared of the accused when the court granted the police further two day remand of the accused, he said.
Gill’s counsel Faisal Chaudhry Advocate said that the court had itself viewed the health condition of his client. It was a geniune issue, he said, adding that there were also signs of torture on Gill as per the medical report. The police were also admitting that the remand time had been completed, he said.
The lawyer said that the police had interrogated his client even in hospital, adding that there was no doubt that 48 hours remand time had been expired. He opposed the request of police for further physical remand of the accused.
The court earlier reserved its judgment and later ordered to keep the accused in hospital till Monday. The court also said that the physical remand of the accused was yet to start.
