April 2, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 29, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, April 1: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its judgment on the petition of Mansurul Haq, the ex-naval chief, seeking bail in an alleged corruption case.

Mansur, now stripped of his rank and honour, informed the apex court that he had reached a plea bargain with the NAB and paid US $7.5 million on the understanding that he would not be arrested again.

He complained that he was re-arrested after a month, and had been behind bars for the last one year.

His counsel, Akram Sheikh, contended that his client had entered into a plea bargain only after being assured that he would not be arrested in any other case.

He said the NAB representative had made a statement before the accountability court that no inquiry was pending against his client, but one month after his release, the NAB re-arrested him, alleging that he, in his capacity as Adviser to PM on maritime affairs, had influenced the PNSC board to buy second-hand ships at exorbitant rates.

The counsel said it was the board of governors which was responsible for the deal, and not his client.

He said the NAB representative had made a wrong statement before the accountability court that no investigation was pending against his client, and the documents which he caught hold of showed that an investigation was already under way.

The counsel argued that the NAB had no jurisdiction to arrest a person who was, or had been, the member of armed forces.

At this, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi observed that the ex-naval chief had also reached a plea bargain with the NAB.

Representing the NAB, Abdul Baseer Qureshi, Deputy Prosecutor General, Accountability, stated that the bureau had powers to investigate retired armed forces personnel. The NAB counsel said the petitioner misused his position and got ships purchased at exorbitant price.