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May 10 (UPI) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was indicted and ordered to be held in custody in separate corruption cases on Wednesday. A Pakistani court indicted Khan, the 70-year-old former cricket star and leader of Pakistan's PTI party, in a case alleging he "deliberately concealed" details of gifts he held onto from the Toshaskhana -- a storage place for gifts from foreign officials are kept -- as well as profits from their sales.
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The latest charge came as the nation's Accountability Court ruled Khan could be held in custody for eight days in a separate case alleging that Bahria Town allotted land worth $6.46 million to Al-Qadir Trust, owned by Khan and his wife.
The National Accountability Bureau had requested that Khan be held in custody for an additional 14 days -- the maximum allowed under law but Khan's legal team opposed the request, saying there was "no need for a physical remand" as Khan would cooperate with the investigation.
Khan's legal team also challenged the validity of the arrest warrant that saw paramilitary troops take him into custody at the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday as they alleged that authorities broke the law in capturing Khan.
"My client was illegally arrested," Khawaja Haris, Khan's attorney, said. "Proper method was not adopted to arrest Imran. [The] NAB sent a notice, but when did it convert the complaint into a reference? Imran is also being dragged in many other cases."
The Islamabad High Court, however, ruled the arrest was legal, prompting the PTI Party to file a petition challenging the verdict.
Wednesday's hearing was held at the New Police Guest House after the hearing was moved from the High Court late Tuesday. Khan's legal team was also initially barred from meeting him at the venue but the court ultimately allowed three from a list of 20 lawyers provided by PTI to enter.
Legions of Khan's supporters took to the streets to protest Khan's arrest and Army troops were deployed in the Punjab province in an effort to quell the unrest.
Police said that 945 people were arrested in the province and 130 officers and officials were injured. A spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital told GEO News four people were killed and 27 were receiving treatment for serious injuries related to the protests.
If Khan is found guilty of corruption charges, will not be allowed to run for public office again, something he has been fighting against in hopes of returning to office.
