High Court rules to transfer Imran to house arrest

High Court has ruled to transfer President of Adhaalath Party (AP) Sheikh Imran Abdulla, who was in police custody, to house arrest.

This came in the court’s ruling on an appeal case filed by Imran, regarding the extension of his remand period by ten days by Criminal Court on 17 May.

The initial 15 days of remand granted by Criminal Court following Imran’s arrest, was upheld by High Court on 14 May.

High Court said in its ruling on 14 May for the appeal case filed by Imran, that for cases regarding remand periods, evidence must be presented to the court not to prove the charges, but to prove the level of suspicion against the defendant.

The court referred to Article 49 of the Constitution and said that although evidence may be lacking to prove the crime, a person may be detained based on the seriousness of the suspicions against him and other factors related to the crime.

The court said that the police had during the remand hearing submitted a report regarding the suspicions against Imran.

Based on the arguments presented by Imran and the events that transpired, the suspicions against him justify the decision to hold him in custody, the court said in the ruling on 14 May.