ATC rejects Elahi's interim bail

PTI leader's plea for an attendance waiver was also rejected after he failed to appear before the court

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday rejected the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central President Parvez Elahi in a case pertaining to attacking police personnel during a raid at his house.

A case was registered against the former Punjab chief and others at the Ghalib Market police station in Lahore on charges of attacking government employees and interfering in government work.

Following the registration of the case, the PTI ally managed to secure bail from the court in the matter.

During today’s hearing, Elahi’s lawyer submitted a request for exemption from court attendance and maintained that his client could not appear in court on 'medical grounds'.

The court rejected the former chief minister's request for exemption and dismissed the interim bail due to the PTI leader’s absence from court.

“Mohsin Naqvi is the culprit behind everything that happened in our house. Mohsin Naqvi is the mastermind of all the bad deeds," Elahi said in earlier comments to the media. 

Read Sharif brothers conspiring against judiciary: Elahi

“Mohsin Naqvi’s days as the chief minister are numbered as elections will be held and the PTI will win.”

ACE raid

On April 28, a team from the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Punjab, and the Lahore police conducted a raid to arrest Elahi.

The raiding teams remained on the premises of Elahi’s residence for more than three hours during which they took into custody around nine people into custody, but were unable to find Elahi.

The ACE team, led by Additional Director Waqas Hassan, along with heavy contingents of the Anti-Riot Force (ARF), raided the residence of the former Punjab chief minister in a case reportedly registered at the ACE Gujranwala.

The raid at Elahi’s residence came hours after the ACE arrested a close friend of Parvez Elahi’s son, Moonis. Also, the provincial anti-graft body booked the former chairperson of Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) over corruption charges.

Police gathered outside the residence of Elahi on Zahoor Elahi Road at around 11 pm. Senior police officers, including superintendents of police (SPs) Ammara Sherazi and Dost Muhammad, besides the area station house officers (SHOs) were also present.

The ACE team tried to enter the house but they met with fierce resistance. Elahi's employees threw stones when the police made an attempt to enter the premises. A petrol bomb was also allegedly hurled during the raid.