Interpol’s help sought to nab Moonis Elahi in money laundering case

• Development comes after bailable warrants issued for Moonis.
• FIA obtained all data related to Moonis from Punjab govt.
• PTI leader withdrew Rs480 million from his bank accounts.

LAHORE: The caretaker federal government has initiated a process to bring back Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Moonis Elahi who has reportedly been living in Spain since December 2022 to avoid “political victimisation” in the country.

According to federal government sources, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has approached the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) for the issuance of a red notice to detain the PTI leader in a money laundering case.

In September this year, a local court in Lahore issued a bailable arrest warrant for Moois — a close aide of incarcerated PTI Chairman Imran Khan and son of party president Parvez Elahi — 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 had issued the arrest warrant over non-compliance with the court summons.

The sources said all the details of all cases against Moonis have been shared with Interpol, which was provided to the FIA by the caretaker federal government.

The insiders said the caretaker government and the FIA obtained all data related to Moonis from the Punjab government.

The data shared with Interpol revealed that the PTI leader withdrew Rs480 million from his bank accounts and the said amount was used in money laundering.

The sources shared that Moonis’ properties and bank accounts have also been frozen.

The case

According to a first information report (FIR), a probe against Moonis under the Money Laundering Act was started in 2020.

The FIR said that the report by the Sugar Commission said that Moonis was allegedly involved in money laundering.

Former prime minister Imran Khan had tasked the FIA to investigate the sugar crisis throughout the country and find out who benefited from it.

Subsequently, a report by the agency claimed that top PTI members as well as Moonis were among those who had allegedly gained from the sugar crisis in the country.

The FIA sources said that "sufficient evidence" had been collected against Moonis after which the agency decided to formally start an investigation against him.