Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of supermodel Ayyan Ali, upholding an earlier decision from a customs court. Sardar Ishaq, Ayyan Ali's counsel, argued before Justice Mahmood Maqbool Baqar that the money found was property of his client but she was not aware that traveling abroad with cash in excess of $10,000 was a criminal offence.
He requested the court to grant Ayyan's bail since the investigation had been completed and she had filed documents justifying the cash recovered from her.
But customs prosecutor Naeem Lodhi said Ayyan was unable to provide reasonable answers on why she was carrying the money in her luggage.
Justice Mahmood, after hearing arguments from both the sides, rejected the supermodel's bail plea, and reserved his judgement with regards to the case.
Ayyan Ali was arrested by customs officials on March 14 from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad after an amount of $508,000 was seized from her possession. A special customs court had rejected her bail plea on March 16 and sent her on 14 days judicial remand.