Anchorperson Imran Riaz was sent to jail by a Lahore district and sessions court following his arrest on Friday night in connection with a corruption case.
Presented before Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Riaz faced accusations, alongside his father, related to securing a contract for Dharabi Lake in Chakwal at an allegedly inflated price.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed against Riaz includes charges under sections 34, 161, and 162 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 5(2)47 of the Prevention Of Corruption Act, 1947.
During the hearing, the ACE sought a 14-day physical remand for Riaz. However, Riaz’s lawyer, Rana Maroof, argued that the case was baseless, emphasizing that Riaz’s father had never been a government official.
Maroof contended that Riaz had not caused any harm to the national treasury.
Advocate Azhar Siddique, another lawyer for Riaz, claimed that anti-corruption authorities lacked evidence to substantiate the allegations.
Riaz himself protested the arrest, describing it as being treated “like a terrorist.”
Claiming innocence, Riaz asserted that the contract in question was undertaken at a lower cost than the previous one, challenging authorities to produce any legal documents highlighting corruption.
Expressing disappointment over his father being labeled as corrupt, Riaz requested his removal from the FIR.
Amidst the courtroom drama, Riaz expressed hope in the judiciary and vowed to continue fighting against what he referred to as the “corrupt mafia.”
He highlighted the emotional toll on his family and pledged to endure any hardship that may come his way.
The court ultimately rejected the ACE’s request for physical remand, citing that all necessary documents for investigation were already in possession of the prosecution, and nothing needed to be recovered from the accused.
Consequently, Imran Riaz was sent to judicial lockup for 14 days, with a scheduled court appearance on March 8.
