Big relief for Moonis Elahi as Interpol drops nearly two-year investigation

LONDON/LYON: The General Secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has dropped its probes into PTI leader Moonis Elahi after investigating him for nearly two years on the complaints filed by Pakistani authorities — including a Gujrat murder case registered against him in June 2023 when he was in London.

The Interpol has formally certified that Elahi, 49, is not currently the subject of any Interpol notice or diffusion based on Pakistan’s request seeking criminal charges and extradition of the PTI leader.

A credible source at the organisation told Geo News that Barcelona-based PTI leader "Elahi is not listed in its system under any form of international alert" after an investigation that lasted nearly two years.

Credible sources at the Interpol have confirmed that it dropped a long-running investigation into Elahi after establishing that not enough evidence exists against him of the alleged wrongdoings, as complained by the Pakistani authorities.

Correspondence sent by the Pakistani authorities to Interpol alleged that Elahi is sought in Pakistan by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and Punjab Police for murder, money laundering, bribery, fraud and misuse of authority.

The Pakistani authorities had repeatedly asked Interpol for a Red Notice and extradition in money-laundering and other cases since early 2023, requesting that Interpol hand over the PTI leader and former federal minister to Pakistani authorities. 

In February and July 2024, the FIA told courts that a Red Notice request for Elahi was with Interpol and still "under process". 

In October 2024, the FIA again told a court that it had sent a Red Notice request to Interpol to secure his arrest. As recently as May this year, the FIA said it is still sending monthly reminders to Interpol regarding the Red Notice for Elahi, with the court asking for progress reports.

The Interpol decision to clear Elahi is a big relief for him, as he was stranded in Spain for almost two years while Interpol investigated him. He left London for Barcelona in September 2023 and has not come back since then. He has been living in exile for the last three years. He left Pakistan right before the Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved, several months after Imran Khan’s government was removed.

When approached, Elahi’s lawyer confirmed Interpol has given him a clean chit. 

He said: "We welcome Interpol’s decision to clear Moonis Elahi after a fact-finding investigation. This was an impartial investigation which established beyond any doubt that the allegations of murder, corruption, fraud, bribery and misuse of authority against him were bogus and politically motivated."

The lawyer further said that Elahi was victimised because he refused to let down Khan. This is a victory for justice and the rule of law. The PTI leader deserves an apology from the Pakistani authorities for targeting him through fake cases, he added. 

"These cases have impacted him a great deal in several ways. His resolve remains firm that he will continue to stand by his principles and will continue to stand by Khan," the lawyer concluded.