Mumbai, August 6: Former Pakistan prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan was sentenced to three years in prison on Saturday for corrupt practices after being found guilty of selling state gifts and concealing assets in the Toshakhana case. Imran Khan has also been prohibited from participating in political activities for five years. However, the 70-year-old politician, also a cricket legend, denied any wrongdoing, and his legal team said they would be filing an immediate appeal.

According to government officials, the alleged gifts in question include watches from a royal family, which Khan's aides reportedly sold in Dubai. The list of items supposedly included perfumes, diamond jewellery, and dinner sets. Among the gifts were seven watches, with six of them being Rolexes. The most valuable timepiece on the list was a "Master Graff limited edition," estimated at $300,000, which led to Khan's ultimate arrest. Imran Khan Arrested: Police Declare High-Security Alert in Islamabad, Rawalpindi After Former Pakistan PM Gets 3-Years Jail in Toshakhana Case.

The judge slammed Khan, saying his dishonesty had been established beyond doubt. The judge's verdict on "fake receipts" pertains to Imran Khan's initial defence, where he claimed to have sold the rare Graff watch, gifted by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, to a local watch seller in Islamabad. Khan's legal team presented receipts for selling state gifts at lower prices. The twist came when Dubai-based Norwegian-Pakistani businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor declared that he was the new owner of the Diamond MasterGraff Tourbillon Minute Repeater with Makkah Map Dial GM2751, also known as Master Graff limited edition, valued at Rs85 million ($385,000).

Zahoor told Geo News that he had bought the rare Master Graff watch and other gifts from Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Begum, through Farah Gogi. Gogi was introduced to her by Shahzad Akbar, the former accountability adviser to Imran Khan. Imran Khan Arrested Video: Former Pakistan PM Apprehended After Found Guilty in Toshakhana Case, Says Report.

Following his removal from power through a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022, Imran Khan has been entangled in over 150 legal cases, which include charges related to corruption, terrorism, and incitement to violence. These charges stem from the deadly protests in May, during which his followers attacked government and military properties nationwide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2023 11:06 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).