A money laundering case has been filed against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi by the Federal Investigation agency.
The case, filed on Wednesday, is related to money laundering worth Rs720 million according to the federal agency.
The first information report (FIR) stated that the case was registered after a report submitted by the Anti-Corruption Circle of the FIA.
The probe began against Moonis under the Money Laundering Act two years ago.
According to the FIR, a report by the Sugar Commission said that Moonis was allegedly involved in money laundering.
Former prime minster Imran Khan had directed the FIA to conduct an investigation into the sugar crisis in the country.
The agency had released a report last year saying that top members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) including PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi had allegedly benefitted from the sugar crisis in the country.
Moreover, a money laundering case has been filed against nephew of Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti and a peon of Rahim Yar Khan Sugar Mills, Mazhar Iqbal.
Both Bhatti and Iqbal had been arrested according to the FIA.
Raids are also being conducted for the arrest of another one of Bhatti’s nephews, Wajid Bhatti.
Following the development, Moonis Elahi stated to local media that he had received no notice from the FIA.
He said that FIA had just released a press release and he came to know from media reports that an FIR had been registered against him.
Moonis stated that the FIA had missed a legal step and had sent teams to arrest him.
He added that he was on his way from Islamabad to Lahore to visit the FIA’s office, adding that these moves would not stop them from supporting the PTI or its leader Imran Khan.
He said that they, the Punjab government, was punishing him for not listening to them, referring to attempts by coalition parties to gather support from the PML-Q against Imran Khan before his ouster.
Separately, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that this was a ‘gift’ from Imran Khan as the revelations had come due to the investigation by the Sugar Inquiry Commission.
He added that it was during the government of Imran Khan that the decision to arrest Elahi was made.