ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a former presiding officer of the banking court to return Rs 4.2 million, besides the salaries he withdrew after his reinstatement.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on a plea moved by the Ministry of Law and Justice against Mohammad Azam Chatta, ordered the respondent to deposit the amount recoverable after deduction of tax paid by him.

He was directed to pay the amount within four weeks after receipt of notices from the ministries of Law and Justice and Finance.

The bench also directed the Secretary Law to initiate proceedings against the officials, who had issued his reinstatement and regularization notification of 2011 without reading the relevant laws.

The secretary was required to conduct inquiry and submit a report with the registrar office within eight weeks for perusal in chamber for further appropriate order.

During the proceedings, respondent Chatta appeared and requested the bench to note down in the order that he was voluntarily ready to deposit the amount as he strongly believed in Rizq e Halal for himself and his family.

The bench appreciated his gesture and acknowledged his stance by incorporating his statement in the order sheet.

Earlier, the bench disagreed with Hafiz SA Rehman, counsel for the respondent that his client was reinstated and his services were regularized under the Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Ordinance 2010 and that the withdrawal of notification by the Law Ministry was illegal.