PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and 18 others have been booked in a case of pelting stones at and violence on the police during a raid of the anti-corruption department on his residence late on Friday night.
The case has been registered at Lahore’s Ghalib Market police station under 13 provisions, including terrorism and murder.
On Friday night, police and an anti-corruption team carried out an unsuccessful raid at Elahi’s residence to arrest him at around 11pm. The Zahoor Palace was searched three to four times, but the PTI official could not be found.
Police say the case has been registered on the application of anti-corruption CO. It claimed that an anti-corruption team raided Parvez Elahi’s residence to arrest him when 40 to 50 people present inside the house pelted them with stones.
Petrol was also hurled at the team with the intention to cause arson, the FIR claims.
However, Elahi escaped from the spot, but the alleged miscreants who offered resisted during the raid were arrested, the FIR stated.
Meanwhile, Elahi’s son, Raasikh, challenged the police and anti-corruption’s operation in the Lahore High Court.
The Punjab government, anti-corruption department, and police have been made parties in the petition.
Parvez Elahi’s protective bail was approved by the Lahore High Court, but despite that the operation was carried, and the family harassed.
The petition sought that the court order Zahoor Elahi Road be cleared, and the police withdraw its force.
The court should also order the police against arresting Parvez Elahi until his protective bail expires, the plea added.
Earlier, the former chief minister of Punjab had decided to move the Lahore High Court against the raid at this residence last night. He asked his legal team to prepare a constitutional petition in this regard.
Elahi had asked the team to nominate the caretaker Punjab chief minister, the anti-corruption department, police, and others in the case.
Despite court orders, the police carried out the illegal operation, lawyer Amir Saeed Rawn said.
The lawyer said the petition will be filed before the high court today.
“Strongly condemning” the raid, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said the presence of women in the house was not respected.
“We are witnessing democracy being crumbled before our eyes. There is no respect left for the Constitution, court orders or the fundamental rights of the people,” Imran Khan tweeted.
The PTI chief called it a part of the alleged “London plan” to eliminate the PTI, adding fascism ruled the roost everywhere.
Detailed verdict on Elahi’s protective bail plea
The Lahore High Court on Saturday morning issued a detailed verdict on the protective bail of Parvez Elahi in the anti-corruption case registered in Gujranwala.
Irrespective of the merits of the case, the applicant was granted protective bail till May 6, the verdict said.
The petitioner deposited Rs50,000 to the deputy registrar and can refer to the forum concerned by May 6.
This order of the court will expire by 12:30pm on May 6, the verdict said.
Police and an anti-corruption team raided the residence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President and former chief minister Parvez Elahi, located at Zahoor Elahi Road in Lahore.
Elahi’s lawyer and family did not allow the team to enter the house. Upon this, the police tried to scale the walls of the house when they were pelted with stones and petrol from inside.
The raiding ended the search operation that lasted for six and a half hours.
Police personnel in plainclothes were also present along with the raiding party in and around Zahoor Elahi Road.
The police broke down the main gate of the house with an armored personnel carrier. The anti-corruption team, headed by SP Amara Shirazi, and a heavy contingent of police searched Zahoor Palace repeatedly to arrest Parvez Elahi, but he could not be found.
Police detained 27 people who pelted them with stones from inside the house during the search.
Anti-Corruption Director General Sohail Zafar Chatta claimed Elahi was present inside the house, but his family was not cooperating.
During the operation, Rasikh Elahi’s house was also searched. However, the police did not get permission to search Wajahat Hussain’s house.
A large number of senior lawyers were also present outside the residence, including Lahore Bar Association and Lahore High Court Bar presidents.
As soon as the anti-corruption and police teams left the Zahoor Palace, repair work on the main gate of the residence had started.
A special Anti-Corruption Court of Lahore announced its reserved verdict on former Punjab chief minister Elahi’s bail plea in a billion-rupee bribery and corruption case on Friday.
Anti-Corruption Court Judge Ali Raza extended the bail till May 6.
The anti-corruption court reserved its decision on Elahi’s bail application as he appeared in court over expiry of his interim bail. The court had granted interim bail to Parvez Elahi till today.
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