Judge ends curfew for ex-Dem IT aide Imran Awan, but still requires GPS device

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A federal judge has ended curfew restrictions for ex-Capitol Hill IT aide Imran Awan but is still requiring him to wear a GPS monitoring device as he awaits trial on fraud charges and prosecutors argue he is a flight risk.

U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan revoked Awan’s curfew restrictions and stopped requiring him to be drug tested, according to a Wednesday court filing.

But Chutkan kept in place the GPS monitoring device and requirement that he not travel outside a 150-mile radius of his home.

Awan, a former IT aide for Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has been enrolled in the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) with conditions that he abide by an electronically monitored curfew of 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. and a limit on traveling beyond 150 miles from his residence.

Awan and his attorney had attempted to lift those conditions, including the electronic monitoring bracelet.

But federal prosecutors had warned that could give Awan an opening.

“The government asserts that Awan is a flight risk and that his participation in HISP is by far the least restrictive condition that can be imposed on him to ensure his return to court,” they argued.

A grand jury in August returned an indictment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, with a total of four counts, which included federal bank fraud and conspiracy. Awan has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Awan has not been charged with anything specific to his IT duties in Congress. But the case has drawn interest from Republican lawmakers because of Awan’s role for prominent Democrats and the access he had to sensitive data.

Awan had been scheduled to appear in federal court next week for a status conference hearing, but it was rescheduled Thursday until March.

TRUMP DRAWS ATTENTION TO CASE AGAINST EX-DEM IT AIDE IMRAN AWAN

Meanwhile, President Trump recently drew attention to the case against Awan, asking during an interview with the New York Times: “Whatever happened to this Pakistani guy who worked with the DNC?”

Awan was born in Pakistan, but came to the U.S. with his family when he was a teenager. He became a U.S. citizen more than a decade ago.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.