ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday heard a case related to plea bargain with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a corruption case, ARY News reported.
The case was filed by Zahid Ali Akbar through his counsel against the NAB, which according to the counsel received Rs. 90 million from Akbar under plea bargain.
But, the counsel maintained, Akbar ended up paying Rs. 26 million more than the original amount.
The petitioner had moved the Lahore High Court to direct the NAB to return the excessive payment, and the court had ruled in the petitioner’s favour.
However, NAB appealed the decision in the Supreme Court where it is being heard.
Justice Azmat Saeed, in his remarks, said that the real question was what could NAB take under plea bargains.
Read More: NAB receives plea bargain applications of Rs 120mn this year
He directed the NAB authorities to furnish the record of the plea bargain made in his case and also directed them to inform the court about the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the plea bargain.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that it was highly necessary for plea bargains to have ‘solid reason’.
The counsel for the petitioner said that although the plea bargain laws were changed in January 2017, but the 2016 law would apply in their case.
On this, Justice Saeed said that those laws would apply on [this] case, which were in effect at the time plea bargain was made.
“As per law, NAB chairman has an authority to finalise the conditions of plea bargain”, he said.
The court later adjourned the hearing for three weeks and directed the NAB officials to furnish the record.
