Three SBCA officials held for demanding extortion money

KARACHI: The Preedy police have arrested three officers of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for allegedly extorting money from a local builder and damaging his project.

The arrested SBCA officers included Senior Building Inspector Umair Kareem and two building inspectors Zafar Supari and Muhammad Amin who were booked under terrorism, extortion and other provisions.

According to the police, a person, Bilal Najeeb, had submitted an application to the Preedy Police station on June 22, in which he stated that he was present at his plot on MA Jinnah Road when three persons came there and introduced themselves as employees of the SBCA. They told him that they had come to inspect the building.

The complainant, who is a resident of Clifton and works as a project manager, said the officers demanded extortion money from him and threatened him with serious consequences if he did not pay the amount.

Police registered an FIR No 115/23 on Najeeb’s complaint under the provisions of extortion, terrorism and other provisions, and arrested the officials. Further investigations are under way.