LHC grants bail to ex PTI MNA in fake degree case
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LAHORE: (APP) A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday granted bail to former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ejaz Chaudhry after suspending operation of his three years sentence in fake degree case.
The bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan passed the orders while hearing an appeal filed by the former MNA against his conviction in fake degree case.
During the hearing, petitioner's counsel Kaleem Ahmad Khurshid arguing before the bench submitted that the trial court awarded three years sentence to the petitioner for possessing fake degree. He contended that the sentence was not maintainable in the eyes of law as the prosecution did not place petitioner's fake degree on record during trial.
He further submitted that the election tribunal's judgement could not be made basis for conviction. He pleaded the court to set aside the sentence being illegal.
The bench after hearing arguments suspended the operation of the sentence and granted bail to the petitioner while adjourning the further hearing.
District and Sessions Judge Mandi Bahauddin sentenced the former lawmaker for possessing fake degree. The case was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after Supreme Court disqualified him as member of National Assembly for fake degree and was subsequently de-seated.
It is to be mentioned here that Chaudhry was elected as MNA from NA-108 Mandi Bahauddin as independent candidate and later, he joined PML-N. However, in 2014 Chaudhry left PML-N and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
