Fraud case: Court sends Fawad Chaudhry to jail on one-day physical remand

• Former minister arrested from his Islamabad residence on Nov 4.
• He is accused of soliciting a Rs5 million bribe in exchange for a job.
• Money and pistol are yet to be recovered from the politician: police.

ISLAMABAD: Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday was sent to jail on a one-day physical remand by Islamabad's district and sessions court in the fraud case.

During today's hearing, Faisal Chaudhry — Fawad's lawyer and brother — opposed Prosecutor Adnan Ali's request for a five-day extension in the politico's physical remand.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor said that money and a pistol are yet to be recovered from the politician who is in fact acting evasive adding that an identification parade is also to be carried out for the ex-minister.

"Fawad Chaudhary is not cooperating with the police," the prosecutor said.

He mentioned that the complainant gave Chaudhry Rs5 million trusting the politician, but upon demanding his money back, Fawad threatened him.

"Fawad Chaudhary has Rs5 million belonging to the complainant," Ali added, informing the court that the police tried recovering the money during the earlier two-day remand obtained in the last hearing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, during the hearing of the case, Fawad told his lawyer to file a contempt of court case against the police which brought him to the court with his face covered with cloth.

Fawad's wife, Hiba Chaudhry, met her husband in the court and shared an image of their meeting on X, formerly Twitter.

Faisal requested the court he wanted to file a contempt plea against the act, as the politician is a former federal minister and a Supreme Court lawyer. Fawad's brother asked for the handcuffs on him to be taken off as well, while his family should also be allowed a meeting.

The former PTI leader's counsel insisted that the court had asked the police to not cover Fawad's face using a cloth.

Fawad's other counsel, Ali Bukhari, said the court's orders have to be enforced by the court. "The court also has to implement the orders for Fawad Chaudhry's medical examination."

Bukhari asked if the complainant entered into any agreement with Fawad Chaudhry and also inquired if there was progress in the investigation in the past three days.

He highlighted that a case against Fawad was filed six months after the episode, while Faisal complained that the police had confiscated his phone.

"Police can misuse Fawad Chaudhary's mobile phone," the lawyer said.

Bukhari maintained that the police cannot withdraw the money in question using the politician's phone.

The court, on Sunday, handed over Fawad to the police, approving his two-day remand, a day after he was arrested from his residence in Islamabad.

The orders came following Fawad's arrest on Saturday, which his wife Hiba claimed was done without any reason. However, it was later revealed that the politician was taken into custody after a complaint was filed against him in Islamabad's Aabpara Police Station for soliciting a Rs5 million bribe in exchange for a job.