SC reiterates corruption money has to be paid back

Orders wife of deceased DSP to return Rs30m of the looted amount

ISLAMABAD:  

The Supreme Court on Monday once again made it clear that the corruption money would have to be paid back even after death.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, issued a verdict on the appeals of deceased Sindh DSP Jameel Akhtar Kiyani and his wife Ms Riaz Bibi, ordering payment of Rs30 million corruption money.

During the proceedings of the case, CJP Khosa said, “Corruption amount will have to be returned. The fine is much less than the corruption committed. Fifty years ago a plot was purchased for Rs2.5 million. Mow its worth is more than Rs2.5 billion.”

The CJP remarked that the fine of Rs30 million imposed in 2003 was quite less as compared to the present.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) counsel apprised that court that Jamil Akhtar Kiyani was appointed in 1959 and retired in 1995 as DSP police.

Wife of the deceased Ms Riaz Bibi’s lawyer apprised the court that his client could not pay the fine of Rs30 million as NAB had seized their accounts after 1995.

At this, the CJP said, “Fine cannot be decreased, but increased. Corruption money is used by the people all their life.”

Khosa said the issue was not that how assets were enjoyed, but the “issue is that how Rs90 million assets were made?”

Jamil Akhtar Kiyani was accused of corruption and misuse of authority. The trial court awarded imprisonment of 10 years and five years to Kiyani and his wife, respectively, and imposed a fine of Rs30 million. The high court had upheld the decision.

The Supreme Court also upheld the decision of the high court and rejected the appeal of his wife.

Non-payment of LHWs salaries

Separately, the Supreme Court issued contempt of court notices to federal and provincial governments and sought their reply in non-payment of salaries to the lady health workers (LHWs).

A division bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the contempt of court notice taken over non-payment of wages to LHWs and lack service structure.

When the hearing began, Justice Ahmed inquired whether the LHWs were being paid salaries.

Applicant Bushra Arain apprised the court that salaries were not paid for one year despite Supreme Court’s orders to pay salaries on the first of every month.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed inquired, “The [federal and provincial] governments have not yet formed the service structure?”

At this, Arain replied, “The service structure has not been formed according to the court’s order. The Supreme Court’s January 2, 2018 order is being violated.”

The court sought a reply while issuing notices to the parties and adjourned the hearing.