ISLAMABAD   -  Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah has revived the process of judicial accountability and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to hold an inquiry of the District and Sessions Courts of the federal capital regarding embezzlement of sureties. 

Justice Athar has revived the process of judicial accountability after a gap of over a decade, enabling the auditors to examine financial affairs of the judiciary. 

According to the details, the Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) comprising officials of the IHC, the Finance Ministry, and the auditors, held a meeting on 16-03-2021 for a draft forensic audit report on accounts of the IHC and District Courts from 30-09-2015 to 30-09-2020. 

The DAC’s minutes shows that the IHC Chief Justice also directed the District and Sessions Judge (West) and Senior Civil Judge (West) to report on embezzlement of cash sureties in office of senior civil judge (west) Rs10.796 million, delayed deposit of embezzled cash sureties into treasury Rs7.074 million, failure of internal controls leading to retention of cash sureties Rs133.789 million, and illegal working of official as accountant after retirement. 

Justice Athar also asked them to fully cooperate with the FIA and make efforts to recover the embezzled sureties cash from ex-Nazir Muhammad Riaz, and any other person held responsible. 

The DAC minutes said that the FIA has submitted interim reports to the IHC, however, inquiry into the bank accounts/assets of the alleged persons, especially the Nazir was in progress. It added that the role of each presiding officers was being ascertained, as the responsible ones failed to perform their duties of oversight, and the lack of supervision/reconciliation led to the embezzlement.

The IHC management apprised the DAC that the appointing authority has imposed “Major Penalty of Dismissal from Service” upon Saima Khan, Assistant Registrar (BPS-18) and Muhammad Raheel Khan, Data Entry Operator (BPS-13) for holding fake degrees while the process of recovery and other legal actions have been initiated. 

The DAC was apprised about spending Rs0.189 million on maintenance of Judges Rest House at House No 5, G-11/3 Islamabad, where the ex-CJ IHC [Anwar Khan Kasi] was residing and it was told that policy notification has been approved by the IHC Administration Committee in respect of the Judges Rest House. The rates of rent charges have been approved for the Rest House effective from December 1, 2019. 

The DAC was informed that the management of the IHC had complied with the verification of educational qualification certificates of 21 employees. However, fresh exercise has been carried out for degrees verification. 

It was further informed that the District and Sessions Judges and Senior Civil Judges (West and East) submitted certificates that Lahore High Court Rules and Orders (adopted by the IHC) and the Federal Treasury Rules and other instructions have been implemented, record of cash book/receipt register is now being maintained and corrective measures have been taken in compliance of the audit findings.