LAHORE, Nov 14: A civil court on Thursday directed federal Law Minister Dr Khalid Ranjha to deposit Rs87,640 as rent for his office in the Dinga Singh building on The Mall.

The court, hearing an ejectment and rent default case against the minister, further directed him to submit the receipts in the court on December 19.

Complainant Khwaja Altamash Masood contended that Dr Ranjha had not paid monthly rent of Rs1500 of his office since January, 1999. According to the complainant’s counsel Fawad Malik, the total amount due from the respondent for the period of 34 months (from January, 1999, to March, 2002) amounted to Rs51,000.

He submitted that under the agreement, the rent was to be increased by 25 per cent with effect from April 2002 but the respondent had been refusing to pay the accumulated rent as well as the revised rent.

The court determined the revised rent at Rs4,580 per month with effect from April, 2002. The total amount due from the respondent under the revised rent for the last eight months has been calculated to Rs36,640.

The minister has also been directed to deposit the revised rent by 15th of every month.