ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan also been arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case and Toshakhana reference, who is already imprisoned in Adiala Jail in the cipher case.

The accountability watchdog arrested the former PM on Monday after Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir ratified the arrest warrants and directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to execute them.

Earlier during the hearing, the judge asked the NAB prosecutor about the status of Mr Khan’s pleas to revive his bail petitions in the two cases.

NAB’s Deputy Prosecu­tor General Sardar Muza­f­far Abbasi said the pleas were pending in the Islam­abad High Court (IHC) and there was no restraining order issued so far.

Judge Bashir then asked about the further legal course. To which the NAB’s prosecutor said that under the law, the accused is required to be produced before the court within 24 hours of arrest.

He added that arrest warrants for under-custody suspects had been issued in the past, and the court might order Adiala Jail SP Jail to execute the warrants.

In response to another query regarding the Special Court (Official Secrets Act), Mr Abbasi said the Special Court judge has also accorded his approval.

The prosecution pleaded for Mr Khan’s custody “to conclude the investigation in both cases”. Subsequently, the accountability judge permitted NAB to arrest and investigate the PTI chief.

The NAB has filed the reference against Mr Khan for allegedly misusing his authority as prime minister while retaining state gifts from Toshakhana.