Pakistani supermodel Ayyan Ali indicted for money laundering 9 months after arrest

Pakistan supermodel Ayyan Ali was finally indicted in Rawalpindi Customs Court for money laundering on Thursday, nine months after her arrest, said reports.

The 23-year-old Pakistani model, who once ranked among the 10 most beautiful women in the world, pleaded not guilty before the court. 

According to Pakistan's Samaa TV, Ayyan's lawyer has argued that his client had not taken her boarding pass and was planning to leave the bag of money with her brother.

The court, however, overruled the objections and noted that it would proceed with the indictment. The next hearing of the case has now been scheduled for 8 December, according to Geo TV.

The high-profile case is being followed closely in Pakistan, especially due to Ayyan's celebrity status and her political connections.

Hailed as the most successful model from the largely conservative country, Ayyan, it was speculated, was to represent Pakistan in the Miss Universe 2016 pageant.

Since her arrest on 14 March, when she was caught by the customs with a suitcase carrying $500,000, which was way beyond the legal limit of $10,000, the supermodel languished in prison for months before she made bail.

If convicted for smuggling money out of Pakistan, Ayyan could faces a 14-year prison term.