RAWALPINDI: A special court in the city granted post-arrest bail to ex-federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a corruption case on Monday, directing his release from custody upon submission of a Rs200,000 surety bond.
Chaudhry, a former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker, had been arrested in November over allegations of accepting a Rs5 million bribe in an August 2022 case. Initially held in police custody for two days, his detention was extended, eventually leading to his placement in Adiala jail under judicial remand.
Following the bail approval, Fawad’s lawyer and brother, Faisal Chaudhary, expressed the politician’s intention to participate in the upcoming general elections slated for February 8, 2024, though the party under which he’ll contest remains undecided.
Addressing concerns regarding the discord between Fawad Chaudhry and his sister-in-law, Hiba Fawad, the lawyer emphasized their intention to resolve the family matter privately, noting her apprehension as the reason for her previous statement against him.
Despite the bail, Fawad Chaudhry’s release might not occur as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) apprehended him in connection to a separate corruption case. NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt authorized Chaudhry’s arrest, leading to his detention from Adiala jail.
Notably, Fawad was among the numerous party members arrested during the PTI crackdown post the May 9 violence, implicating the party in the riots.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
