Key Takeaways
- A sessions court in Lahore extended the pre-arrest bail of Saqib Chadhar and his wife until July 28.
- The couple are facing charges related to cyber harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation against television actress Momina Iqbal.
- National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) requested more time for investigation.
A Lahore sessions court has extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Saqib Chadhar, a PML-N MPA, and his wife until July 28. The couple are currently facing legal proceedings related to alleged harassment of television actress Momina Iqbal.
During the hearing on Monday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqi granted the bail extension after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) requested additional time to complete its investigation. Chadhar appeared before the court accompanied by his lawyers, while his wife was absent from the proceedings.
The case against Chadhar and his wife was registered on a complaint filed by Iqbal early last month. The charges include unauthorised access to information systems or data, unauthorised copying or transmission of data, offences against modesty, cyber stalking, criminal intimidation, and abetment under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the first information report (FIR), Iqbal alleged that Chadhar and his associates had waged a sustained campaign of cyber harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation, blackmailing, defamation, unlawful surveillance, and threats against her and her family. She stated that after rejecting Chadhar’s marriage proposal upon discovering his existing marriage, he retaliated with repeated threats, attempts to access her private data, sending violent content, and blackmailing via her private videos.
The FIR further alleged that the accused defamed Iqbal socially and professionally, sabotaged her 2023 marriage proposal through false information, and recently intensified threats to leak private material, harm her and her fiancé, and disrupt her upcoming marriage. These actions caused severe emotional, reputational, and professional harm.
The NCCIA investigating officer requested more time to complete the investigation during the hearing. Judge Siddiqi directed the IO to submit a progress report at the next hearing, which is scheduled for July 28.
Chadhar’s legal team argued that their client should be granted bail based on the evidence presented so far and the need for further investigation by the NCCIA. The court agreed to extend the bail period until the completion of the ongoing investigation.
