Pakistani court denies imprisoned former premier Khan and his wife bail in graft case

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani court denied on Monday a bail application by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife in a graft case, their lawyer said. It’s another blow to the popular opposition leader, who has been in prison for more than a year after being convicted on multiple charges.

Khan is embroiled in more than 150 cases since 2022, when he was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in parliament after several political allies deserted him.

He has accused the military and his archenemy and current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of ousting him under a U.S. plot. Charges which they denied.

He faced new charges, including the graft case, in July after a court overturned the convictions and seven-year sentences of the couple in a case questioning the legality of their 2018 marriage, giving way for their release.

Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are accused of allegedly retaining and selling state gifts in violation of government rules while he was in power. Pakistan allows government officials to buy gifts received from foreign dignitaries but they have to declare their sales as it adds to their income. Khan is charged with undervaluing such proceeds

The couple’s lawyer Intizar Hussain Panjutha denounced the court’s decision. The bail application was heard at Adiala prison where Khan and his wife are held in separate cells.

Oct. 2 is set for the couple’s indictment in the case.

On Monday, Khan’s spokesman Zulfiqar Bukhari claimed on X that Bibi was being mistreated in jail, with officers storming her cell in the middle of the night, being forced to remove her hijab, the Islamic headscarf, and having water thrown on her mattress. “These violations of human and prisoner rights must be reported and stopped,” he wrote.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on his claims.

Recently, some prison officials were fired on charges of violating prison rules to help Khan. It was unclear how they aided him.