Embezzling military funds: ‘Use court orders as a guide to amend corruption legislation’
PHC CJ notes anti-corruption bodies shy away from disciplining dishonest officials.
PHC CJ notes anti-corruption bodies shy away from disciplining dishonest officials. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The government should amend corruption laws guided by court orders as departments responsible to curb corruption do not take strict action against dishonest officials, said Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan on Monday.
Justice Khan made these remarks while hearing a case on embezzlement in Controller Military Accounts (CMA) – fraud in excess of Rs50 million. The accused Jehanzab, Muhammad Israr and Muhammad Tarik filed for bail, but Justice Khan rejected their application.
The three employees were booked by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) for their involvement in a Rs50 million corruption case where they are said to have used fake receipts and gotten them approved from the CMA, explained the petitioners’ lawyers. But the petitioners belong to the audit department and have no connection with this embezzlement, they argued.
Prosecution counsel Jamil Warsak informed PHC former controller military accounts Sikandar Khan was arrested in the case on the order of the court.
Justice Khan pointed out the FIA, Anti-Corruption Establishment and National Accountability Bureau are reluctant to take action against senior officials in high-profile corruption scandals.
According to the PHC chief justice, fraud worth millions of rupees falls in category B of corruption while senior officials are gunning for billions in corruption. The government should have included penalties which range from a minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment in such cases, in addition to confiscation of property, he stated.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.
The government should amend corruption laws guided by court orders as departments responsible to curb corruption do not take strict action against dishonest officials, said Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan on Monday.
Justice Khan made these remarks while hearing a case on embezzlement in Controller Military Accounts (CMA) – fraud in excess of Rs50 million. The accused Jehanzab, Muhammad Israr and Muhammad Tarik filed for bail, but Justice Khan rejected their application.
The three employees were booked by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) for their involvement in a Rs50 million corruption case where they are said to have used fake receipts and gotten them approved from the CMA, explained the petitioners’ lawyers. But the petitioners belong to the audit department and have no connection with this embezzlement, they argued.
Prosecution counsel Jamil Warsak informed PHC former controller military accounts Sikandar Khan was arrested in the case on the order of the court.
Justice Khan pointed out the FIA, Anti-Corruption Establishment and National Accountability Bureau are reluctant to take action against senior officials in high-profile corruption scandals.
According to the PHC chief justice, fraud worth millions of rupees falls in category B of corruption while senior officials are gunning for billions in corruption. The government should have included penalties which range from a minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment in such cases, in addition to confiscation of property, he stated.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.