The Supreme Court on Monday turned down the unconditional apology of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Muhammad Iqbal in National Insurance Corporation (NICL) corruption case.
A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Ghulam Rabbani took up the case relating to contempt notice to FIA head upon alleged interference in apex court affairs transferring Additional Director FIA Zafar Ahmed Qureshi who was investigating the multi-million rupees NICL land purchase corruption scam on order of the court.
The Chief Justice observed, "It is not sufficient explanation; this man has destroyed the NICL case by writing a letter for Zafar Qureshi's transfer. How can he claim the benefit of his wrong doing?" The Supreme Court had assigned additional director general Zafar Qureshi to investigate NICL land scam, who performed well and apprehended influential figures involved in embezzlement. Qureshi's charge as Additional Director General FIA was withdrawn with immediate effect by Establishment Division on April 18, 2011 upon the letter of FIA chief to the secretary ministry of interior that Qureshi had submitted interim challan in the court.
Counsel of the DG, Makhdoom Ali Khan argued that Muhammad Iqbal had written a letter to secretary ministry of interior about the interim challans in NICL cases that was submitted to the court of competent jurisdiction on April 11 was incorrectly attributed to him by the Establishment Division.
He said that Establishment Division had stated in a notification that recoveries were made, whereas challan was submitted in the court. So the additional charge of the officer, Zafar Ahmed Qureshi, as Additional DG, FIA, was withdrawn with immediate effect. Makdoom said that the words had been incorrectly attributed to DG FIA Muhammad Iqbal by the Establishment Division in its notification.