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\u2022 Ex-PM, spouse each get 14-year jail in Toshakhana case; Banigala declared sub-jail for Bushra Bibi ISLAMABAD: A day after a hasty trial ended in a 10-year jail term<\/a> for him and his close aide, an accountability court sentenced<\/a> former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi to 14 years in jail and imposed Rs1,540 million fine in the Toshakhana reference.<\/p>\n After the conviction, Mr Khan and his spouse are barred from holding public office for 10 years. The case said the couple retained expensive jewellery from Toshakhana after paying a nominal price.<\/p>\n Separately, the Islam\u00adabad High Court refused to quash proceedings in the Iddat case, saying the charge had already been framed by the trial court. It, however, gave the couple some relief by dropping the \u2018illegitimate relations\u2019 charge (496-B).<\/p>\n Toshakhana reference<\/strong><\/p>\n Accountability judge Mohammad Bashir was supposed to record the statement of Imran Khan, as he had recorded the testimony of Bushra Bibi a day earlier.<\/p>\n When he resumed the proceedings in the makeshift courtroom at Adiala Jail, Mr Khan\u2019s legal team was not in attendance. The judge summoned him in the courtroom. Deputy Superintendent Akram brought him to the court where Judge Bashir asked the ex-premier to record his statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).<\/p>\n Mr Khan refused to record the statement in the absence of his counsel, saying the special court had similarly sentenced him after recording his testimony. He said the jail official also blindsided him by asking him to come to the courtroom \u201cbecause the judge wanted to mark his attendance\u201d.<\/p>\n He then informed the judge that he had prepared some points of the statement but the papers were kept in the jail\u2019s cell. The judge said the court staff could bring the papers, but Mr Khan said that they didn\u2019t know where he kept them.<\/p>\n Subsequently, Mr Khan was allowed to bring the papers. The PTI founder left the courtroom, but never came back.<\/p>\n The deputy superintendent was asked again to bring him to the courtroom but he returned empty-handed. Accor\u00adding to Imran Khan, he would not return to the courtroom until his legal team arrived.<\/p>\n Sub-jail for Bushra<\/strong><\/p>\n Eventually, the judge sentenced him and his wife \u2014 in their absence \u2014 to 14 years in jail, along with a hefty fine.<\/p>\n
\u2022 PTI calls it \u2018travesty of justice\u2019
\u2022 IHC refuses to quash proceedings in iddat case
\u2022 Bilawal, Maryam offer mixed reaction to ruling<\/strong><\/p>\n