LHC dismisses govt appeal in Elahi case

A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday rejected an intra-court appeal filed by Punjab caretaker government against its earlier order that barred authorities from arresting PTI President Parvez Elahi in any undisclosed case.

However, an accountability court in the meanwhile remanded Elahi, who served as Punjab chief minister twice, in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) till August 29 in a case related to alleged corruption in awarding contracts for development projects in Gujarat, Elahi’s hometown.

On Monday, the division bench led by Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan resumed hearing the Punjab government appeal against the order of an LHC single bench.

Read Elahi remanded in NAB custody till Aug 21

The LHC single bench on July 14 stopped authorities from arresting Parvez Elahi in any undisclosed cases and also granted him protective bail in two cases registered at the Anti-Corruption Establishment Gujarat and Ghalib Market Police Station in Lahore.

The LHC division bench on July 17 suspended the single bench order. Elahi had later challenged the division bench’s order in the Supreme Court, which on August 16 directed the LHC to decide the matter on August 21.The LHC division bench after hearing arguments of both the parties dismissed the appeal.

Elahi also appeared before an accountability court in Lahore that was hearing a case related to alleged award of illegal contracts during his second term as Punjab's chief minister.

NAB requested the court that the PTI leader be remanded in its custody for 14 days. Judge Zubair Shahzad Kayani, however, remanded him in NAB custody till August 29.

Elahi's counsel, Amjad Pervaiz, protested and said that the matter of Elahi's repeated arrests was currently pending in the LHC while the Supreme Court had ordered the LHC to hear and decide the case today [August 21].

Read more: Elahi rearrested after Adiala Jail release

During the hearing, Elahi came to the rostrum and informed the court that his knees had swollen and he was not feeling well. He also requested the court to allow his personal doctor to treat him. The court later granted the PTI’s leader’s request.

Last week, Elahi was presented in the court of Judge Kayani amid heightened security. NAB arrested the PTI leader last Monday from outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail minutes after he stepped out of the prison at the conclusion of his 30-day detention period.

NAB on June 9 launched formal investigations against former Punjab CM Parvez Elahi, former provincial minister Ali Afzal Sahi and Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi. The anti-corruption watchdog alleged that the accused received over Rs1 billion in illicit kickbacks through intermediaries in 226 contracts.

The PTI president was first arrested by the Punjab ACE with the help of Punjab Police in Lahore on June 1. He has since been released and rearrested multiple times.