LAHORE: A special court on Wednesday granted pre-arrest interim bail to former federal minister Moonis Elahi till July 4 in a case, registered by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the charges of money laundering in a sugar scam.
Special Court (Offence in banks) Judge Muhammad Aslam Gondal heard the bail application of the former minister.
Advocates Amjad Pervaiz and Amir Saeed Rawn appeared on behalf of Moonis Elahi and argued that the FIA had registered a bogus case against their client and others on the charges of money laundering. They submitted that their client was innocent and had been implicated in the case due to mala fide intentions. They submitted that Moonis Elahi had joined the investigations, but it was feared that the FIA might arrest him. The counsel pleaded with the court to grant the benefit of bail to Moonis Elahi.
The court granted pre-arrest interim bail to Moonis Elahi till July 4 and stopped the FIA from his arrest till the next date of hearing, besides seeking a report.
The FIA had registered a case against Moonis Elahi, Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Muhammad Nawaz Bhatti, Muhammad Ali, Mazhar Abbas, Makhdoom Omar Shehryar, Tarik Jawaid and Wajid Khan Bhatti under sections 109, 420, 468, 471, 34 of PPC, read with 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1947 and 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010, in connection with the affairs of the RYK/Alliance Sugar Mills Group.
The court had already granted interim bail to Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti and Wajid Khan Bhatti in the matter.