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The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) disclosed to a district and sessions court in Lahore that they had recovered Rs4.1 million during an investigation into the Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case from the residence of PTI President Parvez Elahi.
Elahi had been apprehended by the ACE last month on allegations of appointing Muhammad Khan Bhatti as his principal secretary during his tenure as Punjab’s chief minister, a move they claimed did not comply with the law.
Read more : Parvez Elahi Arrested By Anti-Corruption Shortly After Adiala release
Parvez Elahi has faced over a dozen arrests in various cases since June 2023 when a nationwide crackdown on PTI leaders and workers began following the May 9 riots.
On September 1, he was rearrested by Islamabad police under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance shortly after being released by the Lahore High Court, which had issued a restraining order against his possible arrest or preventive detention by any agency.
During the recent court appearance, ACE’s investigating officer, Muhammad Sabtain, informed the court that they had accompanied Elahi to his residence on Zahoor Elahi Road, where they recovered a sum of Rs4.1 million from his bedroom, located adjacent to a garage on the left side. The officer stressed that Elahi had confirmed the recovery, as he was present during the search.
However, Elahi contested ACE’s claims, asserting that he had been in jail throughout the night and had not been taken anywhere. He stated that he was unaware of where they had allegedly found the money and had only learned of the alleged recovery while in jail. Elahi suggested that the officers who conducted the raid had ulterior motives, potentially aimed at safeguarding their own positions.
The magistrate then questioned the investigation officer regarding Elahi’s denial of being taken anywhere. The officer responded by noting that such denials were common among suspects and reiterated that they had indeed taken Elahi to his residence to recover the money.
Following the arguments, the court granted a two-day extension to Elahi’s physical remand and instructed the authorities to ensure his appearance in court on Monday.
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