A Lahore district and sessions court rejected the request for physical remand by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Friday, instead sending anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan to jail on judicial remand.
The decision came after Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid presided over a corruption case against Imran Riaz Khan.
During the proceedings, Imran defended himself, stating, "The authorities are lying about the contract in question." He further added, "The previous contract was Rs11 million, and I took the contract for Rs4 million."
Imran Riaz Khan was apprehended from his residence in Lahore yesterday. According to anti-corruption officials, both Imran Riaz and his father stand accused of acquiring the Tharabi Lake contract at a significantly reduced price.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) summoned two YouTubers to appear before it as it started investigation into the social media campaign against the judges of the higher judiciary.
The FIA Cyber Wing issued notices for inquiry to journalists Asad Toor, and Imran Riaz Khan, asking them to appear before the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad, and the Cyber Crime Wing office in Lahore, respectively.
The notices had been issued under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Both the YouTubers had been asked to bring the relevant records with them. In case of non-appearance, the notices said, it would be assumed that they had nothing to say in their defence.
In September last year, the senior journalist returned home "safely" after he had gone missing for more than four months.
The anchorperson, a staunch and vocal supporter of ousted PM and PTI founder Imran Khan and his policies, was arrested on May 11 reportedly by the police, in the aftermath of the May 9 riots.