A local court in Lahore on Saturday issued a bailable arrest warrant for Moonis Elahi – a close aide of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan – in a case relating to money laundering.
According to an order issued by Special Court (Central-I), Lahore judge Justice Abdul Sattar Langah, “In interest of justice, the instant application moved by the police officer is accepted and the bailable warrant of arrest of Rs100,000 is issued against the accused Monis Elahi, under Section 90 (a) CrPC for the date fixed i.e. 11/10/2023”.
The special court issued the arrest warrant for Moonis – who has been living abroad for the past couple of months – over non-compliance with the court summons.
At the outset of today’s hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) investigation officer apprised the court that the suspect was avoiding receiving the summons.
In a written statement submitted in the court, the FIA said, the report regarding the service of summons of “accused Moonis Elahi S/O Parvaiz Elahi to the extent of his address in England has been received through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the same is annexed with the application.”
It added, “As per reports regarding service of summons in the name of accused Moonis Elahi s/o Pervaiz Elahi through MOFA of his address in Spain it was reported that nobody was available on those addresses. So far as report received from England it is again found that the accused avoided to receive the summons.”
The FIA pleaded with the court to issue a warrant of arrest for Moonis, in the light of the report received from the MOFA regarding the service of summons. Subsequently, the Lahore court approved the FIA’s request and issued a bailable arrest warrant for Moonis.
