Ayyan Ali to stay in jail as LHC rejects bail plea

LAHORE (Staff Report) - Lahore High Court (LHC) has rejected  the bail application of supermodel Ayyan Ali  in money laundering case.

Justice Abdul Sami Khan heard the case during the arguments. Ayyan Ali’s lawyer Lateef Khosa argued that his client did not qualify as a passenger as she had not been issued a boarding card nor had her passport been stamped as is required when leaving the country.

Read more: Ayyan Ali fined Rs18.8m by FBR

He added that any citizen of Pakistan can be present at the airport with any amount of cash.

Khosa further argued that the fashion model intended to hand over the cash to her brother who was arriving from another flight, therefore none of her actions fall under the crime of ‘smuggling’.

On the other hand, state’s lawyer told the court that Ayyan Ali was apprehended under the article-7 of customs court and was nabbed before departing for Dubai.

A legal counsel for the Customs department told the court that Ayyan Ali did not have permission from the State Bank of Pakistan to carry the amount that was recovered from her, nor had she fulfilled the legal requirements to purchase the foreign currency.

The legal counsel added, that Ayyan Ali was trying to escape and had managed to cross all checkpoints, had she boarded the flight she would have made good her escape.

The court, after hearing the arguments, not satisfied with bail grounds and rejected the application.

According to media reports, Ayyan Ali is already 5 months pregnant. Journalist Mubashir Luqman has implied that she has been impregnated by an important personality that resides in Dubai these days. There are also rumors circulating that Ayyan Ali was gifted a luxury apartment in Dubai by Pakistan's Ex-President and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. In light of the rumors and unverified claims circulating in the print and electronic media, the rejection of Ayyan Ali's bail plea will definitely add to the headaches of already besieged PPP and it's leadership.

Read more: Ayyan Ali is five months pregnant right now: Mubashir Luqman