Imran involved in May 9 conspiracy, rules LHC

The Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled on Thursday that former prime minister Imran Khan was involved in a conspiracy behind the violent events of May 9, 2023, citing testimonies from two police officials. The court dismissed Imran’s post-arrest bail petition, noting sufficient grounds for criminal conspiracy and abetment. According to the detailed order, statements by Inspector Ismat Kamal and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Hassan Afzal place Imran as the one who perpetrated meetings held on May 4 at Chakri Rest Area, Rawalpindi, and on May 7 and 9 in Lahore. The court said this undermines the argument that Imran was in jail during the violence on May 9. “These statements attract the provisions of Section 120-B and Section 121-A of the Pakistan Penal Code,” reads the judgment. Both sections deal with criminal conspiracy and abetment of mutiny, which carry serious legal consequences. Read: LHC rejects Imran's bail in eight May 9 cases During the hearing, the court observed that Imran's prior conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case was uncontested. It also said that his alleged statements and actions had led to the loss of lives and damage to state property. The prosecution submitted audio and video clips, including transcripts prepared by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which require forensic examination. The authorities had obtained court permission to conduct photogrammetry, polygraph and voice-matching tests within jail premises. However, investigators reported that Imran repeatedly refused to cooperate, hindering progress. The court concluded that the charges fall under the prohibitory clause of Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which bars bail in serious offences. It found no new circumstances to justify further inquiry or release on bail. “In collective consideration of the facts...we are not inclined to grant post-arrest bail to the petitioner,” the court stated, dismissing the petition outright.  

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