RAWALPINDI (Kashmir English): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced to 17 years in jail each in the Toshakhana-II case on Saturday.
The accountability court has also imposed a fine of Rs 10 million each. The case involves the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set at a throwaway price.
Senior Special Judge Central-I Shahrukh Arjumand delivered the verdict after conducting 80 hearings at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
As per the order, both the convicts were awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment and Rs16.4 million in fines each under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The court also awarded an additional seven years of jail to each convict under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) 1947, which is related to criminal misconduct by public servants.
As per the law, a failure to pay the fines will result in additional jail time.
In its order, the special judge further stated, “this court, while passing sentences, has considered the old age of Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, as well as the fact that Bushra Imran Khan is a female. It is in consideration of both said factors that a lenient view has been taken in awarding lesser punishment.”
“The benefit of section 382-B Cr.P.C. is hereby given to both convicts,” the court maintained.
The case is based on a Bvlgari jewellery gift set gifted to Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021, which was not deposited and was retained by the couple at a nominal price.
Under the law, state gifts belong to the state, but the record states the gift was entered in registers without physical deposit.
According to the invoices, Bulgari Italy was estimated at a cost of €300,000 and €80,000, but it was undervalued and caused a loss of Rs 32.85 million to the national exchequer. Necklace and earrings were assessed at Rs 1.6 million combined, while the claimed actual value exceeded Rs 71 million.
The prosecution maintains that the gifts were not declared or managed in accordance with the relevant rules, and it is a public trust matter. The prosecution contended that the PTI founder retained the jewellery set, valued at approximately Rs80 million, after paying only Rs2.9 million.
