CDA unearths ‘mega scam’

Authorities found involved in fake plot files fraud worth billions

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has unearthed what is believed to be a property scam worth over a billion rupees under which fake files were created for plots fraudulently allotted to property developers with the collusion of officers and personnel from the land department.

Sources within the CDA told The Express Tribune that the department had seized the files of the bogus plots and completed the preliminary inquiry. The process of identifying the officers and personnel responsible for this has been completed, said one source.

Sources said that the fake files and bogus allotments were cleared by the relevant departments of the CDA due to the connivance of personnel of land department and property dealers.

When the information about this scam reached officers who were not involved, they stopped the transfer of these plots for several days and did not allow any action. In this time, CDA Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal was informed about the alleged corruption.

Sources said that a total of 53 plots were part of this scam. They had been allotted numbers. They included ten plots in Sector D13, one in Chak Shehzad and five in Sector E13. The remaining plots are located in Sector I-11/1, I-11/2, I-11/4, I-10/2, I-10/4, and I-10/1.

A senior officer of the CDA, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Express Tribune that the 53 plots were allotted against fake and bogus files. The department has also completed the preliminary investigation, they added.

The officer said that the departmental investigation had identified the CDA officials as well as property dealers involved in it.

He added that some of those involved in the scam were trying to use their influence to approach the CDA administration in order to ‘get the investigation report placed in cold storage’.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2023.