The six-hour long police action came to a halt after Sohail Zafar Chattha, the Director General of Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), left the scene along with the police contingent.

Chattha, talking to the media at the former chief minister’s residence, denied any wrongdoing. He said that they did not act illegally and that a petrol bomb was thrown at the police party who came to arrest Elahi.

He noted that the action was initiated by individuals at Elahi’s residence, who were not cooperating with the police. Chattha’s appointment as DG ACE was objected to by the PTI. The Imran Khan-led party also challenged the decision of the Punjab caretaker government in court in February this year.

Earlier, the police and anti-corruption officials partially halted their operation, claiming that although Elahi is not present at his residence, his mobile phone’s location shows that he is present there. But after information from the arrested house help that Elahi is at his residence, they resumed it.

At least 27 individuals, includieng servants working in the household of the former Punjab chief minister and PTI workers protesting at the scene have been arrested by the police.

The raid comes hours after the PTI and Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government held talks on election dates, with the former calling for stopping of their workers’ arrests, warning that the talks might derail if the law enforcers’ actions do not come to a halt.

Analysts said that the pressure tactics of the authorities are giving a boost to Khan’s popularity, noting that none of the members from the government’s side has faced such late-night raids so far.

In February this year, police raided the former Punjab chief minister’s house twice, but returned without arresting him. In March, Punjab Police also raided Khan’s Zaman Park residence, which was called off after court orders.

A heavy contingent of police, along with the official of anti-corruption officials, raided Elahi’s house. The police cordoned off the Chaudhary Zahoor Elahi Road outside the residence during the operation.

An armoured personnel carrier (APC) of police broke the main gate of the residence after the people inside the house resisted the law enforcers and tried to stop the arrest. Police claim that stones were pelted at them, which injured police personnel and journalists covering the incident.

SP Ammara Shirazi, accompanied by a team of female police officers, entered Elahi’s house and conducted a raid. They came back from the house after a brief search.

‘No search warrant required’

According to Elahi’s lawyer Amir Saeed, the police officials intended to arrest his client, despite him having been granted bail in a case by the Lahore High Court (LHC). Officials from the anti-corruption department then demanded to see the court’s bail order during the raid.

Speaking to the media, Elahi’s lawyer stated that LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh had granted his client pre-arrest bail until May 6. Saeed added that the order of the high court is always received on the next day. “We have made them talk to the court’s official over the issue,” he said.

Anti-corruption department told the media that the law enforcers have raided the house to inform the PTI president that he had not received bail in the case, but due to the resistance faced from inside, police had to take action.

The officials said that the law enforcers would not leave the location until Elahi’s arrest as the location shows him here. “Search warrant is not required [in this case].”

Without giving further details, the officials said that a case has been registered against Elahi in Gujranwala.