Land scam accused offers Rs1.25b in plea bargain

Besides seven plots seized by NAB, offers 11 properties, including 500sq-yd plot in DHA Phase VII

HYDERABAD:

A contractor, Ashique Hussain Kaleri, accused in the multibillion-rupee land scam related to the M6 Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway, has submitted a plea bargain application to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to pay back Rs1.25 billion in the form of assets. Kaleri, in his affidavit, stated, "Having realised my mistake, I offer to return Rs1.2449 billion as a plea bargain in one single instalment."

On April 28, advocate Ayaz Hussain Tunio filed the plea bargain during the last hearing of the case in the Accountability Court II, Hyderabad. The court forwarded the application to Director General NAB Karachi for consideration. Tunio said that he would be able to share an update about acceptance of the bargain at the next date of hearing on May 11. According to the plea bargain, Kaleri has recovered seven properties, directly or indirectly owned by him, and pointed them out to NAB. These properties have been valued at Rs636.338 million.

Kaleri has separately offered 11 other immovable properties and three vehicles to NAB. Additionally, there are three other immovable properties against which he has made partial payment but has not acquired the ownership papers. The recovered properties include two houses in Nawabshah, a flat in Bukhari Commercial DHA phase VI, Karachi, a flat in Sunny Castle in Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi, a bungalow in Gulshane-Hadeed phase II, a bungalow in Bahria Town, and a 500 square yards plot in DHA phase VII, Karachi. Kaleri purchased 11 plots and bungalows and three vehicles from the embezzled money of the M6 motorway project.

Two 600 square yards, a 400 square yards, and a 200 square yards bungalows in Mehran University Housing Society, Jamshoro, worth Rs120.5 million, a 500 square yards bungalow in Malir Cantt, Karachi, worth Rs68 million, and a bungalow in Bahria Town Karachi, worth Rs40 million are among his properties. Separately, he also bought two plots in Palm Enclave, Hyderabad and another plot in Palm Residency, Hyderabad. Kaleri also made a purchase in Punjab, acquiring six acres of agricultural land in Bahawalnagar at Rs12.5 million. His three vehicles, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Revo, and Toyota Corolla Grande, have been valued at Rs34 million collectively. He also have made payments of Rs30.5 million for a flat in Serene Heights, Abbottabad, Rs100 million for an under-construction building on 200 square yards in Hyderabad Cantt, and Rs100 million for a 400 square yards plot in the Data Nagar area of Qasimabad, Hyderabad.

Reportedly, these properties have not been transferred to his name. One of the deals concerning the under-construction building has reportedly been cancelled. The property's owner, Abdullah Jan Memon, told The Express Tribune that Kaleri's wife signed the purchase agreement as the buyer of the under-construction building at the price of Rs150 million.