ISLAMABAD: A civil judge/judicial magistrate on Tuesday remanded three suspects in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on physical remand for five days in connection with an investigation into the judge’s video leak case.

Civil Judge Shaista Kundi directed the FIA to complete the investigation within the remand period.

The FIA had on Monday arrested Nasir Janjua, Mahar Ghulam Jilani and Khurram Yousaf from the Cyber Crime Court following the dismissal of their pre-arrest bail.

The investigation agency produced them before Judge Kundi and requested for their physical remand.

The counsel for Mr Janjua opposed the physical remand and said that Judge Arshad Malik had in the first information report (FIR) or in his affidavit submitted to the Islamabad High Court never accused Mr Janjua of making his immoral video and blackmailing him because of the tape.

The FIA accused Mr Janjua of pressurising and blackmailing the judge, he said, adding that for the sake of argument, if this allegation was to be believed, even then the physical remand was not required as there was nothing to recover from the custody of Mr Janjua.

According to him, the judge’s affidavit never mentioned that Mr Janjua was there during his meeting with Hussain Nawaz or Nawaz Sharif.

The counsel went on to say that as per the prosecution’s claim, Khurram Yousaf was present in the meeting with the judge when Nasir Butt, the prime suspect in the case, pressurised the judge.

Referring to the press conference of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz, the defence counsel added that she never mentioned Mr Janjua’s name and categorically stated that Nasir Butt was in contact with the judge.

The FIA prosecutor, on the other hand, said that there was a non-bailable offence in the FIR lodged by Judge Malik.

He said that the FIA wanted to interrogate the suspects and that was the reason their physical custody was required.

Judge Kundi remarked that there was nothing wrong if the FIA was given an opportunity to interrogate the suspects in physical remand, but she directed the investigation agency to conclude the investigation from them within five days.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2019