ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday suspended an official of land directorate for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent allotment of a plot in sector F-11 worth over Rs30 million.

Member Estate Naveed Illahi, after approving suspension of the official, also directed the directorate concerned of the CDA to refer the case to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Following the directive of member estate, Human Resource Development Directorate (HRDD) issued a notification on Wednesday, stating: “Services of dealing assistant Abdul Raheem of Land and Rehabilitation Directorate is herby placed under the suspension with immediate effect and until further orders on account of his acts of misconduct and corruption.”

Sources said the official was suspended on charges of issuing a bogus allotment of plot in sector F-11 through corrigendum, which meant he issued new allotment letter in lieu of disputed allotment.

Directorate concerned asked to refer case against the official to FIA

The sources said that security directorate of the CDA had recently conducted an inquiry into the matter, in which it pointed out that the plot through corrigendum was issued by the land directorate.

Last week, the security directorate of the CDA confiscated over 50 dubious files from the employees of land directorate.

They had kept the files to allegedly issue backdated allotment letters of alternative plots to the victims whose land has been acquired by the civic body.

The dubious files were related to D-13, Margalla Town, G-11, G-10 and I-11.

After 2016, there is ban on individual allotment of plots to the victims and they can only be allotted plots through balloting.

However, the officials of land directorate during the ban period allotted over 300 plots with back dates and currently a full-fledged inquiry by CDA and FIA is under way.

The officials said, according to 2016 record, the CDA had a large number of vacant plots in sector I-12 and 1-11, but most of them have been allotted during ban period, with back date signs and in fraudulent manner.

Sources said the files, which had been confiscated last week by security directorate, had been referred to a scrutiny committee of land directorate.

When contacted, newly appointed director land Shafi Marwat said that the suspension of the official was part of the CDA’s policy against corrupt elements.

He said last week he also put the services of an official Mukhtar Ali Solangi at the disposal of human resource development directorate for his bad repute.

The director said CDA was planning to digitise its land and allotment record to avoid fraud cases in future.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020