A judicial magistrate discharged on Sunday three relatives of PTI leader Murad Saeed who were arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police over “harbouring” him in their house in Peshawar.

In his order, Judicial Magistrate Salman Nadir said that the accused be released after paying surety bonds worth Rs70,000 otherwise the accused be sent to judicial lock up and be produced on October 28.

A day earlier, the police registered a first information report was registered against in-laws of Saeed for allegedly letting him escape as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police conducted raids on his hideouts. Three men were picked up from the house while several were named in the complaint.

The development triggered sharp reaction from the PTI, which described it as “absolutely shameful and condemnable”. The former ruling party claimed that such “pre-poll rigging methods, fascism” were unprecedented in Pakistan’s history.

Asad Ilyas, Muhammad Arsalan, Azizur Rehman were the three suspects who were arrested from their house for allegedly keeping Saeed.

According to police, the PTI leader is a proclaimed offender and is a wanted suspect in the terrorism case that was registered after the government launched a crackdown on violent protesters who vandalized stated properties on May 9.

The order said that no search warrant was obtained for the raid on Saturday.

“The house is situated in DHA Peshawar which is always beefed up with proper security personnel and safety devices like CCTV cameras,” it added, “there is not a single proof of the presence of the proclaimed offender [Saeed] in the house.”

The order said that there was not “an iota” of evidence in respect of the presence of the suspect.

While appearing before the magistrate, the accused stated that the police had taken away their mobile phones, DVR, vehicles, and licensed pistols from their house.

“Ironically, the police have termed the family members of a dwelling house as unlawful assembly.”