Imran is charged with terrorism along with Jumhooree Party’s deputy leader Ameen Ibrahim and its council member Sobah Rasheed. The three are accused of inciting violence at a historic antigovernment protest on May 1.

At the case’s first hearing on Tuesday, state prosecutors cited a secret police intelligence report, and claimed Imran was a threat to society. They requested the three-judge panel detain Imran until the end of his trial.

Defence lawyers requested Imran be kept under house arrest, noting the high court had last week overturned a May 17 criminal court order and transferred Imran from police custody to house arrest because of his diabetes.

Judges Abdul Bari Yoosuf, Abdulla Didi and Sujau Usman rejected the request.