LAHORE, Sept 29: Revenue department officials, including patwaris, are allegedly involved in the sale of more than 67 kanals worth over Rs650 million on fake transfer deeds in Chungi Amer Sadhu.

The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment has launched a probe into the scam following a source report.

During initial findings, it has been revealed that some 10 officials of the revenue department had committed the fraud in 1988.

The land comprising two to six kanal plots was the property of the central government.

The ACE officials told Dawn on Thursday that the revenue officials also completed mutation process, violating the policy in which one has to apply to the secretary (settlement) in this respect.

They said of 10 suspects three had passed away and others were being interrogated. “The suspects have been proved guilty in the investigation so far,” they claimed.

They said the inquiry would be completed in a week or so and be forwarded to the officers concerned for approval of registration of a case against the culprits.

They said they were also investigating as to how many a times the land had been resold since 1988. “It will be very difficult to hold any buyer accountable in this regard,” they maintained.

Meanwhile, the ACE has also launched an investigation against two restaurants on Jauhar Town main boulevard for encroaching upon a private land and the road.

A complainant told the ACE that the Lahore Development Authority had allotted him the land, which was illegally occupied by one of the restaurants, in compensation for acquiring his piece of land while developing the housing scheme some time ago.

Similarly, the other restaurant had encroached upon the service road and closed it for traffic. The investigation officers have reportedly recommended action against their owners.