ATC sends Mohsin Baig on 14-day judicial remand to Adiala Jail

Rejects police’s request for two-day physical remand

Asif Naveed

23 Feb, 2022

Pakistan

Earlier, the court had sent Baig on a two-day physical remand in police custody on Monday that was the third time the ATC had granted police’s request for a remand. Facebook/File

ISLAMABAD. The Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad on Wednesday sent media personality Mohsin Baig on a 14-day judicial remand to Adiala Jail in a case registered against him for allegedly attacking the Federal Investigation Agency team that raided his house.

The journalist has spent at least eight days in police custody after the initial case was registered and was produced at the ATC after his remand expired.

At the outset of the proceedings, ATC judge Muhammad Ali Warraich asked the Islamabad police if the investigation was complete.

Police requested the court to further extend the physical remand for two days. “Which video you want to take?" the judge asked, possibly referring to the CCTV footage from the vicinity of Baig's house. He also inquired if the polygraph test had been administered, to which the government's lawyer replied in the positive.

Latif Khosa, who is representing Mohsin Baig in the ATC, contended that they were not allowed to meet their client, adding that the case was only related to the pistol and police was making excuses for the video.

“Police had already taken the CCTV box they were talking about,” he said, and inquired about the progress made while the suspect was in an eight-day physical remand.

“The site [Baig’s house] is at a distance of 100 metres [from the Margalla Police Station] and still they are saying they want to take the video in possession,” Khosa said, adding that they were not allowed to meet the client despite the court’s directives. He termed it “contempt of court.”

The lawyer requested court to not further grant physical remand for the accused. Two times, police went to Baig’s house for investigation, however, it could not find the video, he said, and requested the court “to not grant physical remand”.

Amidst the proceedings, Baig urged the august house to let him speak as he wanted to say something. “Police have changed the medical report,” he said, adding that the FIA had taken the CCTV box.

The FIA had already taken the digital video recorder in police presence, Baig said, against the police request for the same procedure. “Power is being used,” he said, “I am not a terrorist. I am being dishonoured.” Baig added that police went to his house and he was “treated badly” over the last eight days.

Later, the court rejected police's physical remand request and sent the accused for a 14-day judicial remand.