Lahore: District and Sessions Judge Lahore Mujahid Mustaqim on Friday acquitted PML-Q leader Chaudhary Moonis Elahi in the multi-billion rupee (NICL) National Insurance Corporation Limited scam.
The court passed the order on a acquittal application filed by Elahi. On October 15, the court reserved its verdict on the application after hearing the arguments of defence lawyers and the prosecution which was announced today in open court.
The former MPA earlier claimed that the case against him was a conspiracy to malign his family. Elahi has been accused of using political influence to force the state-owned National Insurance Company to buy land at highly inflated valuations. The FIA also alleges that some of the land sold to the NICL was not even owned by Elahi and his associates.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutors submitting their written arguments informed the court that during the investigation of the NICL scam, it was transpired that an amount of Rs 320 million was transferred to two bogus accounts which was received by Elahi.
They submitted that cases were registered and accordingly challan was submitted after recording the statement of the witnesses in this regard.
However, the defence lawyers contended that Elahi was innocent and involved in the case with malafide intentions. They submitted that the name of Elahi was not included in the FIR and all witnesses against him had retracted from their statements, therefore, he should be acquitted.
Today, Elahi was presented in the court besides three other accused in the case.
Elahi was accused of receiving Rs 320 million in the NICL scam through bogus accounts. His Manager Abdul Maalick, Rizwan Bhatti and Khalil Ahmad were also indicted in the case.
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