The Supreme Court is set to deliberate on an appeal presented by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), aiming to reinstate an FIR against Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, the former federal minister and PTI leader, The Scoop has learnt.
The three-judge bench, led by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ayesha Malik, is scheduled to hear the FIA’s petition on December 15. The court has notified the deputy attorney general about the proceedings.
Notably, the FIA’s case against Moonis Elahi was dismissed by the Special Judge Central Lahore, a decision upheld by the Lahore High Court. In response, the FIA has taken the matter to the Supreme Court, contesting the dismissal of the case against the PTI leader and former federal minister.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Money Laundering circle had earlier initiated legal proceedings against Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, his associate Gibran Khan, and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, under various sections, including 34, 109, 161, 162-PPC r/w 5, 23 FERA 1947 / w 5(2) PCA 1947 r/w 3 and 4 AMLA 2010. The investigation, identified as No. 115/23, uncovered alleged involvement in corruption, bribery, and money laundering, particularly by Gibran Khan in collusion with Moonis Elahi and Parvez Elahi, who held prominent public offices.
Gibran Khan, described as Moonis Elahi’s frontman, allegedly facilitated the accumulation of crime proceeds through corruption and bribery during Moonis Elahi’s various tenures in public offices. The accused utilized offshore companies to disguise these proceeds, employing a modus operandi involving the establishment of shell companies, transferring funds abroad through Hundi/Hawala, and reinvesting them locally.
The investigation revealed that Gibran Khan formed multiple offshore companies during Moonis Elahi’s public service stints. One offshore company, Eigile Holdings Ltd, purchased a significant portion of shares in Agro Tractor Ltd in 2005. These shares were later transferred to General Mediterranean Holdings S.A., an offshore entity exposed in the Panama Papers scandal. The complex ownership structure aimed to conceal the real beneficiaries, Moonis Elahi and Parvez Elahi.
Lorenzo Gas Pvt Ltd, owned by Moonis Elahi, allegedly played a role in legalizing and laundering corruption proceeds. Despite the termination of a contract with John Deere, Gibran Khan, as CEO of Agro Tractors, deposited Rs. 285 million into Agro Tractors’ account without a clear business purpose. The investigation has identified these unexplained cash deposits as potential crime proceeds acquired through corrupt practices.
Gibran Khan, summoned to explain these financial transactions, deliberately avoided appearing during the enquiry. Legal disputes between Agro Tractors and John Deere, involving substantial foreign currency payments to legal counsels, further raised suspicions regarding the source of funds.
Prima facie, the charges of offenses under various sections are established against Gibran Khan, Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. The investigation aims to uncover the complete money trail and details of assets established through alleged crime proceeds.
