RAWALPINDI: Customs North Chief Collector Sarwat Tahira Habib and Model Customs Collectorate Islamabad Collector Zeba Hai have appreciated the performance of Customs Investigation and Prosecution wing after dismissal of acquittal plea by model Ayyan Ali in currency smuggling case.
Both high ups commended the role of Superintendent Zargham Dil, Deputy Superintendent Saeed Ahmad and Investigation Officer Muhammad Saleem in the high profile case.
The Customs, Taxation and Anti-Smuggling Court rejected the acquittal plea of model Ayyan Ali in currency smuggling case.
The court has summoned the model on November 12 for indictment. Special Judge Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan announced the 6-page verdict dismissing the accused model’s plea after hearing the arguments from both parties.
Earlier, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa on last hearing had argued before the court that his client was not involved in the currency smuggling case and had been kept in jail for four months without any reason.
Pakistan Customs lawyer Farhat Lodhi opposed the arguments and said that evidence clearly showed that Ayyan Ali was involved in the currency smuggling case. He had pleaded the court to reject her acquittal plea.
Sardar Latif Khan Khosa pledged that he would challenge the verdict in appellate tribunal as per section 46 of Anti-Smuggling Act 1976 even before the date decided by customs court to indict Ayyan Ali.
He said that some hidden powers are roping Ayyan Ali in the case in a bid to target some respected politicians.
Ayyan Ali was arrested on charges of money laundering earlier in March this year after being caught with USD 506800 by customs officials at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
The supermodel was granted bail in July after spending around four months in Rawalpindi’s notorious Adiala Jail and after her judicial remand was extended 16 times.
