GUJRAT: A double murder case against former federal minister and senior PTI leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi has been consigned to the record room by an additional district and sessions judge following the completion of the trial.

The court acquitted another accused, Shabraiz Ahmed, while the main suspect, Shahbaz Ahmed alias Akhtar, died in Gujrat district jail on Nov 8, 2023.

Complainant Muhammad Akram, who is the brother of deceased Muhammad Yousaf, testified that Moonis was never nominated by him in the case and had no involvement in the murders.

Akram alleged that the police falsely implicated Elahi with a malicious intent and conducted an unfair investigation.

Earlier, Gujrat police had declared Moonis a proclaimed offender in September 2023 for failing to join the investigation.

The case, initially registered by Mungowal police on June 29, 2023, concerned the murder of Muhammad Yousaf and Yasir in Chakrian village, Gujrat.

It initially included Shabraiz Ahmed and Shahbaz Ahmed along with three unidentified people.

On July 25, 2023, the police added Moonis to the case under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, allegedly based on statements from suspect Shahbaz Ahmed.

Moonis has been in self-imposed exile since December 2022.

Sources close to him claim his inclusion in the case was a political manoeuver aimed at victimising him for his loyalty to former prime minister Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2024