RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan was remanded in the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) custody for seven days here on Monday.

Mr Khan was produced before Senior Civil Judge Mohammad Qaddafi bin Sair by the ACE amid tight security, seeking his physical remand for further investigation. He will be produced in the court again on March 21.

“As per version of the accused that he was suffering from heart disease and, his heart working only to the extent of 20pc is concerned, investigation officer is directed to get his medical check-up from Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) immediately and provide necessary treatment as well as medicine to him,” the court order said.

However, the civil judge turned down the request of the suspect to discharge him, because “sufficient evidence was available on record regarding the offences leveled against him.”

ACE had ordered medical check-up of Chaudhry Tanvir from RIC

The PML-N leader was driven to the Cantt police station and then to the RIC.

The duty magistrate had on Sunday granted one-day remand of Mr Khan after which he was shifted to the RIC with a chest pain.

According to sources, following a first medical assessment, the PML-N leader was taken to the hospital under strict security and suggested an angiography/coronary angiogram by a board of senior doctors. A coronary angiogram can show blocked or narrowed blood vessels in the heart.

Soon after he was brought to the RIC in an armoured police van on Monday, senior medical staff conducted blood tests and electrocardiogram (ECG) on him.

The sources said Mr Khan was not willing to go through the coronary angiogram at the RIC as he wanted to consult his own doctor about the procedure. The PML-N leader had been abroad due to illness and had returned to attend his son’s wedding.

He was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at Jinnah International Airport Karachi on Friday when he was leaving the country as his name had been placed on the watch list in connection with a corruption case registered by the ACE Punjab.

After being brought from Karachi by the ACE team headed by Zulfiqar Bazid, Mr Khan was shifted to the Rawalpindi Cantt police station on Saturday.

According to the ACE, the PML-N leader was arrested in connection with a case registered against him on March 8, 2022. ACE Director Naeemullah Bhatti formed a team, consisting of circle officer Rawalpindi Zulfiqar Bazid, circle officer Attock Sanaullah and others, to probe the case.

The PML-N leader’s sons Danial Chaudhry, Osama Chaudhry and his lawyers along with a large number of party workers were present at the district court complex.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2022