‘Main culprit’ in Nasla Tower case sent to jail

SBCA ex-DG Manzoor Kaka’s bail cancelled, had illegally allotted extra land on service road to builder

KARACHI:

One of the main suspects accused of illegally allotting the land for the demolished Nasla Tower, rendering the residents homeless, was sent to jail after the accountability judge cancelled his bail.

The Anti-Corruption Special Judge revoked the bails of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) ex-DG Manzoor Qadir Kaka and Khair Muhammad in the case of the illegal allotment of additional land to Nasla Tower builders. The accused were taken into custody by the anti-corruption police and put behind the bars for the meantime.

The judge was hearing the petition for an extension of the interim bail of Kaka and Khair Muhammad in the case.

The public prosecutor objected to the extension of the interim bail and contended that Kaka unlawfully passed the map of Nasla Tower and increased the land of the illegal building from 700 square yards to 1,100 square yards encraoching upon the service lane on Shahrae Faisal near Nursery Market.

The defence lawyer contended that Kaka had been implicated in the false accusations. I request to the court that Manzoor Qadir Kaka's interim bail has to be extended. The court reserved judgment on whether to extend interim bail after hearing the arguments made by the attorneys for the parties.

While making a judgment, the court revoked the bail of Kaka and Khair Muhammad. The court mandated that the anti-corruption authorities should take both defendants into custody.

The Investigating Officer (IO) said that the case was registered on the orders of the Supreme Court. Kaka was SBCA DG at that time, who illegally allotted the land to Nasla Tower builders.

Kaka had absconded after the investigations into the Nasla Tower case resumed. However, he secured interim bail on July 26, and requested its extension today. "The special judge cancelled Kaka's bail, after which we arrested him. We will now proceed with our plan of action and provide the court with a report," the IO said.

The then Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had ordered demolition of Nasla Tower in an anti-encroachmehnt case in 2021. The razing process started in November 2021 and completed in February 2022.

Justice Gulzar's order to demolish the illegally constructed building caused public outcry as political parties and civil society sympathised with 44 families who became homeless. However, the builders who sold the apartments and the government officials who earned kickbacks from approving the map and allocating land of service lane continue to live a luxurious life having robbed people of their hard-earned money.

One section of lawyers is questioning his orders to remove the encroachments as they were lacking substance.

A senior lawyer termed the anti-encroachment drive as "heartless". "The way he evicted purchasers and demolished buildings did not punish the unscrupulous builders or officials but the common man who had been duped into buying them," he added.

CBC, DHA issued notices

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to the Cantonment Board and DHA on the petition against the obstruction in DHA 15 East.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi heard the petition against erecting barriers in DHA 15 East Street.

Muhammad Ali Lakhani, the lawyer of the petitioner, Dr. Mazhar Ali, stated that cement blocks were placed adjacent to the house and sewage water had also started to accumulate due to the construction of barriers.

Justice Chaudhry inquired, did you complain to the Cantonment Board first? The petitioner's counsel submitted that the Cantonment Board was informed but the hearing is not taking place.

The court issued a notice to the Cantonment Board and DHA for August 24 and sought their response.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2023.