Judge on leave: Ayyan Ali’s remand extended once again

LHC hears model’s bail application today; charge-sheet likely to be presented on August 3

RAWALPINDI: A banking court on Monday extended model Ayyan Ali’s judicial remand in the money laundering case till July 27.

This was the 16th time the model was sent on judicial remand since her arrest from Benazir Bhutto International Airport with $500,000 on May 14, 2015.

The model was presented before Banking Court Judge Sabir Sultan since the Customs Court Judge Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan has gone on leave.

Customs prosecutor Muhammad Amin Feroz requested the court to formally charge the suspect with the crime. The judge, however, said he was a duty judge and charge-sheet against the money-laundering suspect could only be presented in the Customs court.

Read: Model’s remand extended till July 13

Ali’s counsel Nasir Abbas requested the court to extend the model’s judicial remand till August 3, when the Customs judge is scheduled to return to work. The judge said the judicial remand could not be extended for more than 14 days and thus fixed July 27 as the next hearing.

Officials have reportedly charged the model with currency smuggling. The defence team is expected to plead not guilty and will likely produce private witnesses in the case.

Hearing into Customs Intelligence’s plea for registering a new money-laundering case against the suspect has also been adjourned till August 3.

Read: FBR denies halting legal proceedings against Ayyan

Wanted to host Iftar for jail inmates: Ayyan

After the hearing, the model told Daily Express that she wanted to host an Iftar for all of the inmates in Adiala Jail but was not allowed by the jail authorities.

About the reports linking her to some political personalities, she said: “I am a professional model and have no relationship with any political personality.” She refused to comment further on the case saying it was sub judice.

LHC to hear Ayyan’s bail plea on Tuesday

Meanwhile, a division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday allowed Ayyan’s application to place on record more documents to support her pending bail application in the money laundering case.

The bench, headed by Justice Anwarul Haq, decided to hear the application on Tuesday after hearing the arguments, and allowed her counsel the permission to submit documents for this purpose.

Her counsel argued that the customs officials had trumped up fake charges of money laundering against her.

He said Ayyan had spent four months in jail, adding that under the Customs Act, if investigation of the case in which the accused is a woman, bail has to be granted. Hence, the counsel requested, his client should be released on bail.

The counsel argued that Ayyan had neither taken a boarding pass nor had her passport been stamped for exit, nor did she fall under the definition of a traveller. Hence, a money laundering case against her was unjustified.

 

Translated by Arsalan Altaf