Supermodel Ayyan Ali’s lawyer on Friday submitted the model’s request to Lahore High Court (LHC) for ‘Category B’ VIP status at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
Ayyan’s counsel Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said that the model’s requirements were not being met in her current lodgings at Adiala. Justice Abdul Sami Khan also took up an appeal by Ayyan Ali challenging proceedings before a Special Customs Courts, Rawalpindi, on money laundering charges against her and the dismissal of bail petition.
Sardar Latif Khosa pleaded before the court that his client had no knowledge of the laws regarding money laundering. Khosa said the case registered against the model is false and baseless, as she was being subject to political action and victimisation. The defence lawyer also stated that the investigation of the case has yet to be completed. LHC Justice Abdul Sami Khan ordered jail officials to submit a report on the matter.
The court accepted the bail plea for hearing, advising the supermodel’s counsel to file the plea under Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (when bail may be taken in cases of non-bailable offence). The court sought a reply from customs officials on June 26.
‘Category B’ inmates at Adiala Jail ─ notorious for housing terrorists and high profile criminals among its 4,500 inmates ─ enjoy a room of their own, a helper who cleans and fetches their food, and a charpoy to sleep on. All inmates at the jail are allowed to send for food from outside the jail.
The model earlier in March requested her detention status be upgraded to ‘Category B’ VIP, but customs officials rejected her plea claiming that since Ayyan is currently detained on judicial remand in a case of money-laundering, she does not merit a class B inmate status.