Govt asks provinces about officers involved in plea bargain

Federal government seeks details of officers who used voluntarily returned plundered money to secure the release

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government on Friday sought details from all provincial governments regarding the government employees who were involved in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases but secured a release after gaining a plea bargain.

According to documents, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the federal government has sought details of the proceedings carried out against officials across the country who were found involved in such practices with the anti-graft watchdog.

Additionally, following the order, the Establishment Division has also written a letter to the provincial governments enquiring about the officers who returned assets to the bureau under voluntary return.

Voluntary return is an option under which the accused returns plundered money during investigation before the filing of a corruption reference in an accountability court. In the case of a trial, the plea bargain option is used for this purpose.

Sources privy to the matter said that this is the second time that the Establishment Division has directed the provincial chief secretaries to provide the requested details about the officers allegedly exploiting the law.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had ruled that no benefit could be granted to a government servant after a plea bargain in a corruption case.

The court cited a ruling wherein it was held that once a person accused of corruption or corrupt practices volunteered to offer to return the amount they had pocketed or gained through illegal means, prima facie, could not hold any public office, as the very act of their offering the voluntary return fell within the definition of “misconduct” under the service law and called for initiation of disciplinary action against them.