LAHORE: Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking details of criminal cases, First Information Reports (FIRs) and pending investigations against him.
Justice Shehbaz Rizvi of the LHC declined to hear the plea and referred the case to Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan for further proceedings.
The former Punjab CM filed the application through his advocate Amir Saeed Rawn at the LHC. The petitioner asked the court to direct the authorities concerned to provide all the details of the cases in certain categories which have not yet been closed. In addition, Elahi also demanded that copies of these cases be handed over to him.
Elahi complained during the hearing that although the court declared his arrest unlawful and illegal, he remains in custody.
The prominent PTI leader, who was initially arrested in the Punjab Assembly illegal recruitment case on June 3, has requested the court to order his release.
During the court proceedings, Elahi urged the court to enforce his fundamental rights. He asked the authorities not to arrest him in any criminal matter unknown to him.
He urged the court to provide him with copies of the FIRs filed against him – and a reasonable opportunity of at least ten days to seek anticipatory bail in the appropriate court.
The PML-Q leader alleged that the respondents had registered false and baseless cases against him – with the intention of arresting him without giving him an opportunity to seek relief in the form of anticipatory bail from the relevant court.
The petitioner objected that this was a violation of his fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 4, 10, 10-A and 25 of the Constitution.
Elahi further argued that providing details of cases or FIRs registered against him or any ongoing investigation is an essential first step in due process as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The Petitioner argued that denying this right would be a violation of the Constitution.
The PTI leader further alleged that the respondents violated this right with ulterior motives of keeping him behind bars for as long as possible.
Elahi, following his initial arrest on June 3 last year, was released on bail by the LHC on February 14 this year. He was arrested again on 18 September for allegedly illegally appointing Bhatti, after which he was remanded by a court in Lahore.
In October, the Lahore District Court and Sessions Court allowed the police to take Elahi into physical custody for two days. A few days later, the Punjab Anti-Corruption Agency (ACE) informed the court that it had allegedly recovered Rs 4.1 million from the former CM’s house in the case.
