F.P. Report
LAHORE: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) rearrested PTI President Parvez Elahi from outside a Lahore court moments after the court had discharged him in the graft case, sources said on Friday.
Sources said the ACE would shift the PTI leader to Gujranwala directorate as he had been wanted in another case lodged in the city.
Meanwhile, ACE Director General Suhail Zafar Chatha said the department would move the court against the verdict announced by the Lahore court. “The verdict has been announced in contrast to the merit,” he added.
Earlier, the court had ordered the release of the PTI leader if he had not been wanted in any other case. Judicial magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Virk announced the verdict which was reserved earlier. Mr Elahi was brought to court in an armoured vehicle amid tight security while his family members, including son Rasikh Elahi, were present in the court.
The anti-corruption team has sought 14-day physical remand of the senior politician in order to interrogate him in the case. The judge announced the decision after hearing arguments from both sides.
Speaking to media outside the court, the former Punjab chief minister said he was innocent and a “supporter of Pakistan Army”. In a message to the party workers, he asked them to stand firm and did not lose courage.
Parvez Elahi’s arrest
A team of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), with the help of police, on Thursday arrested the PTI president outside his residence, Zahoor Elahi Palace, over graft charges, confirmed Punjab interim information minister Amir Mir.
Mr Mir said he had been arrested for receiving kickbacks in development projects, adding that he would be shifted to the anti-corruption headquarters shortly. “The area around his house had been cordoned off for the last couple of days,” he added.
At first, he resisted but when police tried to break his car’s driving side window, he came out of his car, he said. “Talks of human rights violations should be toned down because he is accused of corruption,” the minister added. “He will be treated in jail as other suspects are treated,” Mr Mir said.
The arrest came as an anti-corruption court of Lahore had, earlier, rejected Mr Elahi’s bail petition in a case of alleged corruption in development projects.
Mr Elahi’s lawyer told the court that the former chief minister was suffering from chest pain and could not appear in court. The prosecution argued that the medical certificate submitted by Parvez Elahi’s counsel in court was fake.
The court dismissed the interim bail plea of Parvez Elahi on the ground of non-compliance and also rejected the PTI leader’s request for an attendance waiver.
