The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former deputy commissioner of Malir, Kazi Jan Muhammad, for his alleged role in the illegal disposal of 27 plots that belonged to the government, a press statement by the anti-graft watchdog said on Thursday.

The former deputy commissioner was arrested from Karachi's DHA Phase-VII.

Muhammad had allegedly issued orders to allot the land — located in Sector 31 of Karachi's Scheme-33 — to a fake settlement by the name of Abdullah Shah Gazi Block F-II "in connivance with other revenue officials", said the press release. The land disposed is worth Rs2.5 billion.

The bureau said that Muhammad — who is among the 172 officials whose names were placed on the exit control list by the federal cabinet last month on Dec 28 — is also nominated in several other NAB cases.

NAB produced the former deputy commissioner before an accountability court today and requested for his physical remand. The court granted Muhammad's remand to the bureau until January 14.