Rejecting his unconditional apology, the Supreme Court on Monday decided to indict former interior minister Rehman Malik on March 25 for committing contempt of court by interfering in the investigation of the Steel Mills scam.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, hearing the contempt matter against Rehman Malik, directed the SC office under Section 17 of Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 to fix his case in the next week for framing charges. The court issued a notice to the attorney general to act as prosecutor general in Malik’s contempt case.

The former interior minister, through a civil miscellaneous application on February 28, tendered unconditional apology and placed himself at the mercy of the court.Malik was issued a show-cause notice for interfering in the investigation of the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case on May 16, 2012. The court noted that by transferring former FIA DG Tariq Khosa in December 2009, former interior minister Rehman Malik had interfered in the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case.

Former Federal Investigation Agency Director General Tariq Masood Khosa was heading a team which investigated the Steel Mills corruption case. As the team was making progress in the probe, Tariq Khosa was transferred. Later, though the FIA continued investigations, but instead of nabbing the real culprits, the team members tried to protect them.

During the proceedings, ex-interior minister Rehman Malik, appearing before the apex court bench, stated: “I never intended to interfere in the judicial proceedings, but only enlarged the scope of the inquiry which was already being conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).”

In his application, Rehman Malik said he had always placed the judiciary, including the apex court, in high esteem and neither intended to undermine its dignity and respect nor had he any intention to do so in future. He tendered unconditional apology for the inconvenience which might have been caused and placed him at the mercy of the court.

The court noted that it should not be taken for granted that his apology be accepted, adding unconditional apology meant acceptance of mistake. The court said: “We have prima facie opinion that the explanation coupled with the apology is not sufficient to exonerate him.” The chief justice said Malik should not have constituted another team for investigation into the Steel Mills scam.

Malik sought time for filing another statement, saying; “I have to go to Kazakhstan tomorrow with the president.” Justice Gulzar said: “Now you cannot go as the charges would be framed against you for contempt of court. The chief justice stated: “Previously, you were a minister, but now you are not.”

Malik said so many people abused the apex court, but their apologies were accepted in the past. The chief justice remarked, “You can also abuse the court if you deem it good.”Justice Gulzar asked the ex-minister how many contempt cases were pending against him in the courts. Malik said another contempt matter was pending in the NICL scam.The case was adjourned till March 25 on which contempt charges will be framed against Malik.