ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The money laundering case of supermodel Ayyan Ali has not been as complicated as it appears to be after getting attention in media, because few months ago a Thai national, who was arrested for the same charges, was released on bail after four days of her arrest, according to a report published in Daily Dawn.
Customs officials held Ayyan on March 14 while she was carrying $500,000 in her bag at Benazir International Airport. Following her arrest the model has been detained in Adiala jail where she is said to be enjoying a special treatment by the authorities. She also pleaded the Customs Court and Lahore High Court for her release on bail but both of the courts rejected her request.
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On the other hand Oraphan Kanma, a Thai citizen, was arrested by the officials on October 7, 2014 while carrying foreign currency including dollars, pounds, Euros and Thai baht stitched inside her coat. As a matter of co-incident Kanma was also held at the same airport.
Kanma was produced before the customs court on October 8 and three days later she was granted bail by the Judge. Her trial continued till February 24,1015, anyhow. The judge imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on Kanma for attempting to smuggle foreign currency.
Advocate Asghar Ali Mubarak, who represented Kanma, said that it was a simple matter so the court released the accused within a week and decided the case in five months. Though she had been convicted, the court imposed a nominal fine on her, he said.
“The main reason was that Kanma’s case was not highlighted in the media,” he said. Another factor behind the early disposal of her case was that the Thai embassy vigorously pursued the case.
A lawyer in the panel of Ayyan said in most of the cases the customs court granted bail to the accused after a few hearings. “The model has not been fortunate to be released on bail even after about two months.”
He added that the customs officials were getting record publicity in the case so they were lingering the matter and creating unnecessary hype through the media.
However, Amin Feroz, an official of the customs’ prosecution, when contacted by the newspaper, said it was not an ordinary case and if convicted the model could get 14 years’ imprisonment. The court may also impose a fine on her, he added.
“Not in every case an accused obtains the bail,” he said, admitting that in some cases the person detained for currency smuggling got bail from the trial court and the high court. In some cases, the customs court awarded imprisonment as well, he added.
