Accountability court takes action against home secretary, IG for failing to produce Elahi

LAHORE: An accountability court on Wednesday stopped the payments of salaries of the Inspector General of Prisons, Inspector General of Police and Secretary Home Department with a fine of Rs 50,000 each on their failure to produce President PTI Chaudhry Pervez Elahi before it.

The court ordered the accountant general of Punjab to stop the payment of salaries. The court also issued them show-cause notices and asked them to submit their replies by August 05.

The court also ordered the investigation officer to submit a complete challan of the case till the next hearing failing which action would be taken against him.

The court passed these orders while proceedings with a money laundering case against Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. The court directed the officials to produce Chaudhry Pervez before the court.

The officials informed the court that Chaudhry Pervez has been shifted to Adiyala Jail. The court expressed its dismay for shifting Chaudhry Pervez without the court’s permission.

The DIG operation informed the court their vehicles remained outside the jail, but he was not handed over to them. Assistant Superintend Adiyala Jail also appeared before the court and told the court that approval of the Home Secretary was necessary for releasing the jail inmate. He said an application was submitted for the release of Chaudhry Pervez, but no response was received.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had lodged a case against Pervez Elahi and his son over alleged money laundering in the Panama scandal. They are accused of concealing billions of rupees in five Panamanian firms.

According to FIA sources, Elahi allegedly purchased companies in Panama, and there was evidence of illegal transfer of money abroad. There are two cases of money laundering against Moonis Elahi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023