HYDERABAD, Nov 11: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Tuesday ordered the Anti-Corruption Establishment deputy director to conduct an investigation into three land acquisition matters.

ACE deputy director Ali Ahmad Junejo, who was present at the court, was ordered to submit his report in 30 days after fixing responsibility for the delay in the payment of land acquisition award, passed by the Land Acquisition Officer of Sanghar.

The court said it should be determined whether the petitioner, beneficiary of the land or the LAO was responsible for the delay.

The court passed the orders on three constitutional petitions, filed by Shaukat, Gul Hassan and Mir Hassan.

The matters pertained to the irrigation department as the petitioners said their lands were acquired for the realignment of the Nara Canal for which they were not compensated with mandatory benefits under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

The petitioners said they had repeatedly visited offices of the Sanghar DDO, revenue, who was also the LAO, but to no avail.

The petitioners’ counsel said the lands of Gul Hassan and Mir Hassan were acquired for the realignment of the Nara Canal in 1992 in Sanghar district and the award was passed on Dec 5, 1992.

A part of the compensation amount was paid but the mandatory compensation under the LAA was yet to be paid, he said.

In the other case, the lands of Shaukat and 25 others were obtained for the canal realignment in Sanghar.

Of the total amount of the award passed by the LAO, Rs153,262 was yet to be paid along with mandatory benefits under the LAA.

The petitioners’ counsel said the lands of Ghulam Raza and 10 others were acquired for the Sahar Pir Minor in Sanghar in 1995.

He said the payment to some other landholders were made in Sept 1995 and Aug 1996 without the passage of an award.