KARACHI, Feb 22: The Anti-Corruption Establishment has registered five cases for corruption in land allotment and inflicting billions of rupees losses to provincial exchequer against some individuals and the officials of city government's revenue department.

Well-placed sources in the ACE said that two FIRs (09/2005 and 10/2005) were registered against Mehboob Shaikh and Tunio respectively. Mr Shaikh and Mr Tunio were stated to be the front men of the sacked revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh.

Sources said that the two were allegedly involved in buying prized land at throw-away prices with the alleged connivance of the officials of the land utilization and revenue department of the city government.

A senior official requesting anonymity said: "We have not registered any case directly against the sacked revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh. We believe that he must have ordered to transfer the valued land to his favourites.

During investigation, if the links between those involved and the fired minister are proved, we would associate him (Imtiaz Shaikh) with the investigation process," he disclosed.

During initial investigation, the ACE found that the pieces of land off Super Highway, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Scheme-33, were leased out during 1926 to 1930 in the revenue record.

As the land had become expensive and their owners were not in touch with the revenue department, the officials allegedly altered the record and transferred them to some individuals at throw-away prices.

The sources said that after the land scam was received, three more FIRs (11/05, 12/05, and 13/05) were registered against the officials of the revenue department for allegedly distorting the revenue record for personal gains, and transferring the land without meeting the legal formalities properly.

Meanwhile, taking notice of the alleged land scam, Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim fired his revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh, who later denied the charges and levelled counter allegations of corruption on the chief minister. However, sources said that the ACE investigation would prove the involvement of the revenue minister in the land scam. Sources said that six officials of revenue department had been picked up for investigation besides two individuals for their alleged involvement in the cases of land scam.

"We are conducting more raids to nab some more officials of the revenue department and individuals wanted in the scam for investigation," a senior ACE official said on condition of anonymity. He did not mention the names of those in custody.