LHC questions order letting hundi suspect reclaim seized foreign currency

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought replies from the suspect and other parties in an appeal against a lower court’s order to hand over Rs120 million in foreign currency to an accused in a hundi-hawala case.

Justice Jawad Zafar heard the appeal filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) challenging the sessions court’s decision that allowed the accused to take back the seized foreign currency on interim custody.

According to the FIA, the suspect was arrested in 2021 for allegedly running an illegal hundi and hawala business. During a raid at his office, officials recovered Rs88.2 million in local currency and another Rs120 million in foreign currency. The seized amount reportedly included US dollars, euros, dirhams, Canadian dollars, Omani riyals, and prize bonds.

The FIA argued that all the recovered money was case property and should not be returned to the accused until the trial concludes. It asked the high court to set aside the sessions judge’s order, saying that returning the funds could affect the investigation.

During the hearing, the court asked whether the FIA wanted to challenge the entire order or only the part related to foreign currency. The government lawyer clarified that the appeal was limited to the release of the foreign currency.

Justice Zafar also asked if the investigation officer was present in court. The FIA officer said he was now handling the case after taking it over from a previous investigator. When the court asked if the cash had already been returned, the officer confirmed that it had been handed over to the accused under the sessions court’s earlier order.

The high court then issued notices to all parties and sought their replies before the next hearing.