Elahi seeks details of criminal cases, inquiries from LHC

PML-Q leader says denial of details amounts to violation of the Constitution

LAHORE:

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has filed a plea in the Lahore High Court(LHC) seeking details of criminal cases, first information reports (FIR), and pending inquiries against him.

Justice Shehbaz Rizvi of LHC has recused himself from hearing the plea and has referred the case to Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan to conduct further proceedings.

The former CM Punjab has filed a plea through his advocate, Amir Saeed Rawn, in the LHC. The petitioner has requested the court to direct the concerned authorities to provide all the details of cases in certain categories that have not been closed yet. Additionally, Elahi has also demanded copies of those cases to be handed over to him.

Elahi complained during the hearing that although the court declared his arrest illegal and unlawful, he remains in custody.

The prominent PTI leader, who was initially arrested in the case of illegal recruitment to the Punjab Assembly on June 3 requested the court to order his release.

During the court hearing, Elahi implored the court to enforce his fundamental rights. He requested the authorities not to arrest him in any criminal case that is unknown to him.

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He urged the court that he should be provided with copies of FIRs lodged against him - and a reasonable opportunity of at least ten days to apply for anticipatory protective bail before the relevant forum of law.

The PML-Q leader contended that the respondents had registered false and frivolous cases against him - with the intention of arresting him without providing him an opportunity to seek relief from the concerned court of law, in the form of anticipatory bail.

The petitioner argued that this was a violation of his fundamental rights, as guaranteed under Articles 4, 10, 10-A, and 25 of the Constitution.

Elahi further asserted that providing the details of the cases or FIRs registered against him or any pending inquiry is a crucial first step in due process, as guaranteed under the Constitution.

The petitioner claimed that denial of this right would amount to a violation of the Constitution.

The PTI leader further maintained that the respondents had violated this right with ulterior motives to keep him behind bars for as long as possible.

Elahi, after his initial arrest on June 3 last year was granted bail by LHC on Feburary 14 this year. He was again arrested on September 18 for allegedly illegally appointing Bhatti, following which a Lahore court sent him on judicial remand.

In October, a Lahore district and sessions court had granted police Elahi’s two-day physical remand in the case. Days later, the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had informed the court that it had allegedly recovered Rs4.1 million from the ex-CM’s house in the case.