Court issues Moonis Elahi’s bailable arrest warrant

LAHORE: A court in Lahore on Saturday issued arrest warrants for former federal minister Moonis Elahi in a money laundering case, BOL News reported.

The Special Central Court issued the bailable arrest warrants on a petition filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) due to his non-appearance before the agency.

Speaking during the hearing, FIA prosecutor said that Moonis Elahi did not attend the court hearings deliberately. “FIA sent court orders on Elahi’s addresses in Lahore, Gujrat, Spain and England, but he did not comply,” the prosecutor said.

The FIA had pleaded to declare Elahi an absconder for not appearing before the investigation agency even after issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.

The court issued a bailable arrest warrant on the FIA’s report of non-compliance with the summons. The FIA said a report of the summons against Moonis Elahi was also sent to the British Embassy but was not returned before the hearing.

The investigating officer told the British Embassy that there was no one to receive the summons, adding that the notice was deliberately pushed back through the door at Elahi’s residence.

The court said FIA has sought an arrest warrant. The court said there is evidence to believe that the accused is absconding and will not obey the summons. The court granted the investigating officer’s request and issued a bailable warrant of arrest. The court issued a bailable warrant of arrest against a bond of one lakh rupees. The next date of the case is set for October 11.

Earlier on September 26, an accountability Court in Lahore issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Moonis Elahi over an alleged corruption case in development projects.

Accountability Court Judge Naseem Ahmed Virk heard the National Accountability Bureau’s application seeking a warrant for the former federal minister. NAB prosecutor said that the anti-graft agency issued a warrant for Moonis Elahi on August 11 and efforts were made to arrest him. He said the accused is deliberately absconding and has not been investigated despite being summoned.

NAB urged to declare him a proclaimed offender. At the request of NAB, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Moonis Elahi and adjourned the hearing till October 5.

On July 22, the Lahore district court declared Moonis Elahi – son of PTI President Pervaiz Elahi – an absconder over his continued absence in the money laundering case. Moonis is currently living in Spain after he left earlier this year to avoid arrest in a corruption case against him.

The FIA had pleaded to declare Elahi an absconder for not appearing before the investigation agency even after issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. The court also started to freeze his assets, computerized national identity card, passports, and bank accounts.

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