Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Akram of Adiala Jail has been arrested on charges of aiding the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Imran Khan, according to sources cited by Geo News on Wednesday.

Akram was removed from his post on June 20 and was replaced by Deputy Superintendent Judicial Tahir Siddique Shah, who took over as the security supervisor for Imran Khan. The Punjab home department (prison section) had issued a notification for Akram’s removal, directing him to hand over his responsibilities and report to the Prisons Department in Lahore.

Law enforcement agencies have initiated an investigation into the senior officer of Central Jail Rawalpindi, commonly known as Adiala Jail. Sources claim that Akram allegedly facilitated secret communication between the jailed PTI leader and individuals outside the prison.

The authorities have reportedly informed the Inspector General of Prisons, Punjab, about Akram’s arrest and the ongoing investigation. Upon completion of the probe, Akram is expected to face departmental action.

Imran Khan, the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician, has been imprisoned for over a year. He is facing multiple charges, including the Toshakhana case, the cipher case, and the un-Islamic marriage case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has also been incarcerated for several months.

Although a court suspended Imran’s sentence in the Toshakhana case and other courts overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases, hopes for his and Bushra Bibi’s release were dashed in July when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them on new charges related to the sale of state gifts.

Imran Khan’s chances of release further diminished after the Lahore Police declared his arrest in several cases connected to the May 9, 2023, riots. These riots erupted following his detention from the Islamabad High Court premises last year, during which protesters targeted government and military installations.

The arrest of Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Akram adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal and political turmoil surrounding Imran Khan and his party.