SHC grants bail to ex-DG KDA, others in illegal allotment reference

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday granted bail to former Karachi Development Authority (KDA) director-general Nasir Abbas in illegal land allotment case, ARY News reported.

A two-member bench headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh had reserved its decision in March over an application of the ex-KDA D.G. Nasir Abbas seeking bail in corruption reference.

The court granted bail to eight accused including Nasir Abbas, Mohammad Kamran, Javed Ahmed and others.

The bench ordered the accused to deposit surety bonds of Rs. one million each in the court.

In his concluding arguments, Abbas’s lawyer maintained that NAB had not accused the petitioner of the illegal conversion and transfers of plots. The lawyer added that no loss was caused to the national exchequer after the lease of such plots.

To the court’s query whether the petitioner admitted to having transferred such plots, the lawyer argued that no plot was illegally allotted to anyone by the former DG KDA.

The lawyer pointed out that his client was taken into custody before NAB initiated any inquiry against him into alleged illegal land conversion and plots’ transfer.

The NAB investigation officer argued that ample evidence was available against Abbas to establish his role in the commission of the alleged offence. It was claimed that the petitioner had signed documents for the conversion of residential plots into commercial ones in the capacity of the KDA DG. The IO also claimed that the petitioner had also issued NOCs to set up petrol pumps.

The National Accountability Bureau has filed references against Nasir Abbas and others in an accountability court pertaining to illegal allotment of 14 plots in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi.

According to reference all accused are involved in illegal allotment of 13 plots in Gulistan-e-Johar.

According to NAB, illegal allotment of plots cost the national exchequer Rs180 million.