QUETTA, Aug 1: Justice Javed Iqbal of the Supreme Court has sought explanation from the provincial chief of National Accountability Bureau for keeping a man in detention after an order for his release had been issued by the court and asked why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him.

The single-judge bench of the apex court took the action on Wednesday on an application submitted by Abdul Majid complaining that the NAB’s Quetta regional director did not release his son Nadeem Majid on the court order which had been communicated on July 5.

Justice Javed also summoned NAB’s investigation officers Noor Muhammad and Abdul Salam to appear in person along with relevant records at the next hearing on Friday to explain the reason for searching the house and office of the complainant in Karachi on July 19. On the complainant’s submission that his life was under threat, the court directed the SHO of city police station to provide protection to him during his stay in Quetta.

The judge said that Nadeem Majid was released on July 30 but no plausible justification could be furnished by Mir Aurangzeb, deputy prosecutor general of NAB Balochistan, for keeping him in illegal detention.

Justice Javed said: “I have no hesitation in my mind to express that the order of the apex court has been flouted with impunity and without any lawful justification, therefore it is a fit case where contempt of court proceedings may be initiated against the NAB.”

Abdul Majid filed the application on July 25 submitting that the court had ordered the release of Nadeem Majid on June 29, the surety bond was furnished on July 4 and the court’s release order dated July 5 was handed over to the NAB Quetta the same day, but his son was not released.

The complainant submitted that on July 17 the NAB was approached again but Nadeem was not released and stated that on July 19 NAB investigation officers Noor Muhammad and Abdul Salam searched his house and office in Karachi and manhandled him.