LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought replies from federal government and customs authorities on bail application moved by model Ayan Ali accused of money laundering.
A division bench comprising Justice Anwarul Haq and Justice Arshad Mahmood Tabassum took up the petition and passed the order. The court will resume hearing during the next week. The petitioner’s counsel told the judge the bench the customs officials had arrested her and raised fake charges of money laundering. Under Customs Act, if the accused were a woman and if the investigation were completed, she could be bailed out, her counsel contended. As his client was a woman and investigation was completed therefore, she should be released on bail, he demanded.–Staff Reporter
The counsel further argued that his client was an honourable lady and she was implicated in a fake case as part of a conspiracy. He said Customs authorities illegally implicated her in money laundering case.
Ayyan Ali neither got her boarding card nor stamp of exit was put on her passport, therefore she did not fall under the definition of a traveller, he further argued. In such a situation, no money laundering case was justified against her, he added.
On March 14, Customs officials arrested Ayan Ali from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad and recovered over 0.5 million US dollars from her luggage. She is currently detained in Adiala jail Rawalpindi.