RAWALPINDI: To prove that a former government official’s brother was present at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport at the time of model Ayyan Ali’s arrest, investigators have sought the CCTV footage from cameras at Rawal Lounge.

According to sources, the customs investigators approached Airport Security Force (ASF) and sought CCTV footage of March 14, when the model was detained at the airport for attempting to fly out of the country with over $500,000 in her suitcase.

The ASF told the investigators that the footage would only be handed over after approval from higher authorities.

Take a look: Middleman to be probed in Ayyan case

The sources alleged that the government functionary’s brother reportedly arrived at the airport an hour and a half after Ms Ali was stopped by ASF officials.

He reportedly tried his best to meet the model who was detained at the Rawal Lounge by customs officials. As he did not have a security pass, he was not allowed to enter the lounge.

Footage allegedly shows a govt official’s brother attempting to meet the model

According to sources, the former government official allegedly contacted the authorities to request them to allow his brother to enter the Rawal Lounge but his request was turned down.

The official’s brother allegedly wandered outside the passenger lounge waiting to be allowed to meet the model but his requests were repeatedly turned down.

There are over 100 CCTV cameras installed at the airport.

A source alleged that the footage from the cameras clearly shows Ms Ali arriving at the airport with the personal assistant (PA) of a former president. According to the source, the PA can be seen carrying the suitcase from which the large sum of money, she was attempting to take abroad, was found.

The source further alleged that the CCTV footage shows the PA standing beside Ms Ali as her bags are being scanned. The PA was allowed to enter Rawal Lounge because he had a security pass to enter all areas of all airports, across the country.

The entry pass (03234) was cancelled by the ASF director general for facilitating Ms Ali on the day of her arrest.

Meanwhile, as part of the investigation, three people appeared before the investigators and recorded their statements on Monday. They included a Dubai-based businessman, a stamp paper vendor and the broker who reportedly brokered the deal for the sale of Ms Ali’s residential plots.

The three had been asked to give details of the plot deal, their sources of income and the money changer who had changed the amount to US dollars and how much income they had paid.

After recording his statement, the businessman flew back to Dubai.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2015

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