Former federal minister Moonis Elahi has been declared an absconder by the judicial magistrate for not cooperating in the money laundering case investigation.
According to the details, a local court in the provincial capital not only declared him an absconder – as he failed to appear in person despite multiple notices issued – but also his travel history and the details of bank accounts while adjourning the proceedings till next hearing.
As part of being declared an absconder, the court started the process to freeze his assets, computerized national identity card, passport, and bank accounts.
Last month, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) lodged a case against Parvez Elahi and his son Moonis over alleged money laundering in the Panama scandal.
Read more:FIA files Rs720 million money laundering case against Moonis Elahi
The case against Pervaiz and Moonis includes charges of fraud, money laundering, and corruption. It is alleged that the father-son duo concealed billions of rupees in five Panama-based companies, with Pervaiz Elahi using apparent money laundering techniques to acquire these companies.
Substantial evidence of illegal fund transfers from Pakistan to offshore accounts has also been uncovered by FIA. Moonis Elahi then left Pakistan and has been living in Spain ever since he was nominated in the money laundering case.
The FIA had pleaded to declare Moonis Elahi an absconder for not appearing before the investigation agency even after the issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. The FIA said the suspect has purposefully fled away from the money laundering investigation, hence, he should be declared the absconder.
On the other hand, Moonis Elahi was also declared a fugitive in another too case related to the Anti-Corruption Establishment in which he is accused of receiving bribes along with his father and Muhammad Khan Bhatti – the former principal secretary to the chief minister.
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