Rawalpindi, Dec 29 (.) Founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former PM Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi – both currently incarcerated – on Monday challenged their convictions in the Toshakhana-2 case via separate appeals submitted in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The appeals contest the Dec 20 ruling by a special judge, who found the couple guilty of corruption over the underpriced purchase of luxury state gifts and sentenced them to 17 years in jail, as well as imposed fines of PKR16.4 million ($59,000) on each of them.
The conviction centres on the alleged acquisition of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set from the Toshakhana – the state repository for gifts received by public office holders – at a nominal price, reports The News International.
According to the prosecution, the jewellery — comprising a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings — was valued at more than PKR71 million ($255,000) but was appraised at just PKR5.9 million ($21,000) by a private firm. Investigators allege the gift was neither properly deposited in the Toshakhana nor correctly valued.
Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand handed down the verdict after conducting around 80 hearings at Adiala jail, where the former premier and his wife have been incarcerated for the past two years.
Under the ruling, both the accused were sentenced to 10 years each under sections 34 and 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with an additional seven years’ imprisonment each handed down under section 5 of the country’s Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
In their appeals, registered as diary numbers 24560 and 24561 respectively, the appellants have asked the high court to set aside the conviction, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish its case.

They contend that the trial court had wrongly relied on the testimony of an approver, which they say cannot legally form the sole basis of a conviction, and claimed that an individual, Sohaib Abbasi, was unlawfully made an approver.
The appeals further contend that multiple punishments cannot be awarded for the same offence and that the special central court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
The appellants have also claimed that the Bulgari set was retained in accordance with Toshakhana rules applicable to former rulers, and that the reference was filed without a proper investigation. Both the accused have alleged in their appeals that the case is politically motivated and part of a broader campaign of victimisation.

The Toshakhana-2 proceedings began on July 13, 2024, when the country’s anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) took Khan and Bushra Bibi into custody at Adiala jail, in Rawalpindi.
After 37 days in NAB custody, a reference was filed on August 20. Post a Supreme Court ruling on amendments to the NAB law, the case was transferred on Sept 9 to the FIA Anti-Corruption Court, which added charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The trial formally commenced on Sept 16 at Adiala jail. Bushra Bibi was granted bail by the IHC on Oct 23 and released the following day, while Khan secured bail on Nov 20.

The two were formally charged on December 12, with the prosecution recording statements from 24 witnesses and completing cross-examination of 20 of them.
The latest conviction is just another addition to the former premier’s many legal woes, as he has been in jail since August 2023 and is currently serving a separate 14-year sentence in a land corruption case.
Since his removal from office in 2022, he has faced dozens of cases ranging from corruption and terrorism-related charges to allegations involving state secrets, all of which he and his party deny.
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