FIA registers money laundering case against PML-Q's Moonis Elahi

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a money laundering case against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid's (PML-Q) Moonis Elahi, Aaj News reported.

A money laundering case has also been filed against Nawaz Bhatti, nephew of Muhammad Khan Bhatti, the secretary of the Punjab Assembly, and Mazhar Iqbal, a peon at RYK Sugar Mills.

Following the case against him, the former federal minister in a tweet said that he had appeared in court before and he will appear again.

Earlier, Business Recorder reported that the agency had decided to proceed against Moonis after it collected “sufficient” evidence of money laundering and getting “undue” benefits from the sugar cartel.

Official sources said that the PML-Q stalwart, who is the son of Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, had sent money abroad through hundi/hawala and built up properties worth billions of rupees. He is also among those PTI cohorts who allegedly got benefits from the sugar crisis in the country.

Reacting to the development, Moonis had shared a screenshot of the “breaking news” on his official Twitter handle at the time, and written “Bismillah”.

Former prime minister Imran Khan last year had tasked the FIA to investigate the sugar crisis throughout the country and find out who benefited from it, including PTI lawmakers. However, it appeared the agency had adopted a 'go-slow' policy against PTI members, but remained quite active against opposition lawmakers, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.