HYDERABAD, Jan 15: The Anti-Corruption Establishment, Hyderabad, on Wednesday recommended registration of criminal cases against five persons for making/receiving unnecessary payments in land acquisition cases.

The ACE deputy director recommended that cases should be registered against Mohammad Mubeen Khan, then land acquisition officer of Sanghar, Abdul Hakeem Domki, then executive engineer, Thar irrigation division, Sadaruddin Ghulam Rasool Shaikh, and beneficiaries, Gul Hassan and another person.

On Nov 11, the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, had ordered the ACE deputy director to conduct an inquiry into three land acquisition matters and submit a report in 30 days after fixing responsibility as to who was responsible for the delay in payment of land compensation award which led to accumulation of interest on award, passed by the land acquisition officer.

The court order him to determine whether the petitioner, the beneficiary of the land, or the LAO was responsible for the delay. The petitioners had said their lands were acquired for realignment of the Nara Canal and they were not paid compensation with mandatory benefits under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Their counsel said lands of Gul Hassan and Mir Hassan were acquired in 1992 in the Sanghar district and the award was passed on Dec 5, 1992. He said some amount of the compensation was paid but the mandatory additional compensation was not paid.

In his report, the ACE official said in view of facts collected during inquiry, he held the executive engineer, Thar irrigation division, Abdul Hakeem Domki, and others responsible for non-utilization of survey numbers mentioned in the government gazette from time to time and for failing to make any amendment to the gazette for acquiring proper land in the scheme, which led to unnecessary payment to Khatedars.

He also held LAO Mohammad Mubeen Khan responsible for making payment to Khatedars without verification of record. About non-payment of interest, he agreed with the deputy district officer, revenue, that no interest was payable to applicants as per section 34 of the 1894 LAA. He said the matter had been referred to the director (legal), inquiries, and the Karachi ACE for seeking necessary permission for registration of cases against the accused.