ISLAMABAD: The Fede­ral Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday arrested three more suspects in connection with the allegedly immoral video of an accountability court judge after a cybercrime court dismissed their pre-arrest bail petition.

Nasir Janjua, Maher Ghulam Jilani and Khurram Yousaf, who had been nominated by ex-accountability judge Mohammad Arshad Malik in the First Infor­mation Report (FIR) registered with the FIA in connection with his allegedly immoral video, were arres­ted soon after the special judge of cybercrime court, Tahir Mehmood Khan, dismissed their bail plea.

The prosecution earlier submitted an investigation report on the video leak controversy.

The judge’s first purported video statement claiming that he had been pressurised and blackmailed into convicting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif due to the video came to surface on July 6 during a press conference addressed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president Maryam Nawaz.

According to the FIA report, Shahbaz Sharif had expressed ignorance about the video, explaining that only Maryam could give any clarifications. Other PML-N leaders Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and Attaullah Tarrar also adopted a similar stance.

The FIA report stated that Maryam also distanced herself from the specifics of the individual who had recorded the audio/video and sought to place the entire responsibility and burden upon suspect Nasir Mehmood Butt.

However, Judge Malik in an affidavit claimed that at a social gathering attended by Nasir Janjua and Maher Ghulam Jilani, the former took him aside and implored him to give verdict of acquittal in two references against the ex-PM. The judge also claimed he was again approached by both suspects Janjua and Jilani who offered him euros equivalent to Rs100 million and told him that foreign currency worth Rs20 million was readily available in their vehicle. The judge added the offer had been made prior to the decision on the references.

The affidavit alleged that the suspect, Nasir Butt, met him and threatened him that suspect Janjua could leak the video, recorded somewhere in Multan. The judge at that time expressed his ignorance about any such video, suspect Butt told him that it would be shown to him soon.

After a couple of days, accused Mian Tariq Mehmood visited the judge’s house and showed him the video.

When judge Malik was asked if accused Janjua had ever personally showed the video to him, the former replied in the negative. However, the judge maintained the version and accusations in his affidavit and complaint.

Judicial remand extended

Meanwhile, civil judge Shaista Kundi extended the judicial remand of Mian Tariq for 14 days.

The suspect, who had allegedly showed the immoral video of judge Malik to him, was produced before judge Kundi amid tight security. The judge extended his judicial remand till Sept 16.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2019