'Voluntary Return' of ill-gotten money: SC seeks details of current status from federation

While examining the scope of Section 25 (a) of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 in order to accept offer of 'Voluntary Return' (VR) of ill-gotten money made by an accused person, particularly a corrupt public servant, the Supreme Court on Wednesday sought details of current status from the federation about legislation over NAB Ordinance pending before the Senate.
Resuming the hearing of a suo motu notice against the VR, a three-judge bench led by Justice Gulzar Ahmed also issued directives to Attorney General for Pakistan and all the four provincial advocate generals to submit a concise report over plea bargain of the NAB.
On September 04, 2016 announcing a five-page verdict in response to an appeal of the NAB against an accountability court's verdict of refusing the remand of a private citizen in a fraud case, the apex court's two-member bench of former Justice Amir Hani Muslim in Karachi Registry had directed the office to place the matter before the former Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali for a suo motu notice.
Underscoring the need for examining the vires of Section 25 (a), the bench had ruled, "As after payment of the VR, the person goes scot-free without any stigma on his career and can contest the elections and or can continue in public office, as the Section does not provide any disqualification, as against the disqualification provided under Section 25 (b) of the NAB Ordinance."
During the course of proceedings on Wednesday, a member of the bench Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh observed that under the Ordinance chairman NAB has been granted unlimited powers for VR, saying returning of the looted money is a confession of crime which has been made a pious act instead of crime. Later, seeking concise report from Attorney General for Pakistan and advocate generals in the matter, the court adjourned the hearing till November 08.