Customs court reserves verdict on Ayyan’s three pleas

RAWALPINDI: The Special Customs Court (SCC), Rawalpindi, Judge Muhammad Arshad Bhutta, on Friday reserved its verdict on three appeals filed by currency smuggling accused supermodel Ayyan Ali.

The counsel have concluded arguments in the three appeals filed by Ayyan’s lawyer seeking retraction of the arrest warrants, giving her permanent non-appearance permission and for having two trials in the same case.

Reserving the verdict, the judge said the decision will be announced on January 23, 2019. It is worth mentioning here that supermodel Ayyan Ali failed to appear in the court multiple times after being summoned in the case.

The court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the supermodel and directed her to appear. But Ayyan Ali did not bother to comply with orders of the court in this regard. During the hearing, the prosecutor requested the court to declare the fashion model as an absconder due to her absence from court proceedings.

“The accused has been missing hearings for the last two years,” he said as he asked Judge Irshad Bhutta to initiate proceedings against Ayyan’s bail. The defence counsel countered and said Ayyan would appear for the hearing if the court de-notifies arrest warrants issued in her name.

In March 2015, the model had been arrested by the Airport Security Force (ASF) from Rawalpindi’s old Benazir Bhutto International Airport. She was carrying $506,800 in currency that she was allegedly trying to smuggle to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). After four months in Adiala Jail, Ayyan was granted bail in July 2016.