The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed to all the parties in the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI) corruption case to appear before the court with legitimate preparation. A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Athar Minallah heard the suo motu notice case. Former SC chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken the suo motu notice of the multi-billion scam in which the then EOBI chairman Zafar Iqbal Gondal and other officials were accused of investing huge sums in housing schemes and purchasing vehicles in various cities without the approval of the institution’s board of directors. During the course of proceedings, EOBI’s counsel said the Institution had chosen to retain the properties. He said that the sellers ought to also pay additional purchase price and markup to the property selling agency. To this, the chief justice said that the issues were the purchase of properties with public funds. The counsel for sellers said that his clients had objection to EOBI conditions. EOBI can retain the property or return it to the sellers, he added. He said that EOBI mentioned that it wanted to retain the property and on other hand also demands the sellers to pay more amount. EOBI was also demanding markup on this amount, he added. He said that the sellers had deposited the amount with the Supreme Court Registrar. The Chief Justice said that the property prices had also increased and EOBI therefore wants to retain the properties. The court also issued notice on the petition to thaw the accounts of DHA. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for one month.
The bench consisting of three members was headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Umer Ata Bandial.
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