ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari’s application for exemption from appearing in court for the contempt of court hearing, DawnNews reported.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard Bokhari’s contempt of court case.

Chairman NAB’s lawyer requested the court to exempt his client from appearing in court but the court rejected his request.

During the hearing, NAB’s counsel said that the registrar had been informed that the government formed a two-member commission headed by Justice (retd) Nawaz Abbasi.

Naveed Yousaf Mirza replied that he did not know about such a commission.

The apex court also issued notices to two Urdu newspapers.

Due to the alterations in the bench hearing the case, the next hearing was adjourned until March 14.

Previously, Bokhari had accused the apex court of interfering in NAB investigations, particularly against politicians, and endangering the independence of their work in a letter dated Jan 27 to President Asif Ali Zardari.

The apex court, therefore, issued a show cause notice for contempt of court to the NAB chairman on Jan 31.