ISLAMABAD: An alleged bogus plots allotment case involving the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has surfaced again as three files of sector E-13 in this regard have been caught before their transfers.

The new scam surfaced last week and now a fact-finding inquiry is being conducted by CDA’s security directorate. Sources said that last week, an attempt was made for transfer of three plots in sector E-13.

However, on direction of member estate, the transfer was stopped and an inquiry was launched.

The sources said on the basis of No Demand Certificates (NDCs) issued by land directorate, someone submitted case of three files at One Window Operation (OWO) for transfer of plots. Subsequently, the officials of OWO issued Transfer Application Forms (TF) for transfers of plots.

Meanwhile, someone intimated member estate therefore, the allotment process was stopped.

Meanwhile, member directed security directorate to start probe.

Sources said that record of all three said files have been missing, which implying that the said three plots were allotted fraudulently and now through fraud, same were being further transferred, but the attempt was foiled.

Interestingly, the officials of land directorate disowned the NDCs saying that they did not sign the NDC and same carries “fake” signatures.

“There are several question marks on this issue, as if files of plots are bogus, why the plots were allotted previously, if files were not available why TF was issued,” said an official of CDA, adding that it seems a racket is working CDA’s land and One Window Operation directorates.

The sources said disowning the signatures is an old practice in CDA and this is time for the authority to get the forensic of signatures done to reach the truth.

An officer of land directorate speaking to Dawn on Wednesday on condition of anonymity said that land directorate itself intimated member office and OWO about the fake NDCs of three plots of E-13.

Earlier, last month CDA management formed a committee headed by deputy director general estate to probe alleged fraudulent allotment of seven plots in sector D-13 within 10 days.

This scam surfaced earlier this year, when the then additional director land Sobia Toru, pointed out her fake signature on some files. Sources said that probe of the D-13 scam is near completion.

A couple of years ago, over 100 such allotments in sector I-11 and I-12 based on backdated signatures surfaced and the security directorate had pointed out that a detailed investigation must be carried out.

However, so far, neither 100 plots were declared cancelled, nor action was taken against anyone.

In fact, a detailed inquiry has still not been completed.

Earlier, in 2017 the CDA introduced a new policy stating that in future, no plot would be allotted to those affected by land acquisition on pick and choose basis and all such allotments would be made through balloting.

For this, the CDA had prepared lists of 800 plots available in the sectors and had allotted around 250 through balloting while the remaining were kept in record for the future.

Later on, no balloting was carried out which signifies that the plots that were kept in CDA’s record in 2017 should be available as vacant.

However, a large number of plots that were shown as vacant, particularly in sector I-12 in 2017 were marked as allotted in later years.

Some officials alleged that since these allotments were made fraudulently, questions about authenticity of some of the files were raised.

A few years ago, the security directorate had confiscated record of seven fraudulent files of I series sector from One Window Operation (OWP), minutes before their transfer.

The case was referred to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as well, which last year, registered a first information report (FIR) related to one plot while a probe is still going on into the remaining files.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2022