Pakistani Actress Momina Iqbal said that she will pursue her harassment and death-threat case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Saqib Chadhar to the fullest extent of the law on Thursday, as the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) launched a fresh re-investigation into the matter following the emergence of new digital evidence.
How did the NCCIA re-open the probe and issue fresh notices?
Following a day of rapid legal developments in Lahore, an official spokesperson for the NCCIA announced that newly discovered digital evidence had prompted the agency to re-open the cyber harassment case filed by Momina Iqbal. The agency issued fresh notices requiring both Iqbal and MPA Saqib Chadhar to participate in the renewed inquiry.
To ensure an exhaustive review, the NCCIA constituted a special investigation team led by a Deputy Director. The specialized team has been directed to analyze the new digital material alongside previous case records, communication logs, and forensic data. According to the spokesperson, the team will complete its re-investigation within one month and submit a final report to the Director General of the NCCIA, who will determine subsequent legal proceedings. The agency emphasized that declaring any party guilty or innocent prior to the team's report remains premature.
What led to the court clearing PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar and his wife?
The development unfolded during proceedings at a Lahore sessions court, where the NCCIA presented a fresh investigation report declaring MPA Saqib Chadhar and his wife, Sumaira, innocent. According to court filings, the agency reconstituted its original investigation unit into a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to re-evaluate the complainant's claims.
The new investigating officer informed the court that the JIT found no actionable evidence against the couple, concluding that their arrest was unnecessary at this stage. Following the submission of the JIT report, Chadhar’s defense team withdrew his interim pre-arrest bail petition, leading the court to formally dispose of the bail applications for both suspects.
How did Momina Iqbal and her legal team respond to the NCCIA report?
Speaking to reporters outside the court alongside her counsel, Adnan Ehsan, Momina Iqbal expressed strong disappointment with the handling of the investigation and questioned the agency's decision to swap the original inquiry team. Her lawyer formally objected to the JIT report, arguing that the complainant was kept in the dark during the probe and that the new officer cleared the lawmaker before completing a thorough forensic review.
Iqbal reiterated her demand that public representatives facing serious criminal allegations should be suspended from office during investigations. "From the first day, my demand was that the person facing allegations should be suspended," Iqbal stated, emphasizing that she placed her trust in the legal system and will persist with legal appeals against the JIT's findings.
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