KDA chief, 13 others walk free for want of evidence

A provincial anti-corruption court on Friday acquitted on the grounds of want of evidence Karachi Development Authority (KDA) Director General Sami-ud-Din Siddiqui and 13 other people of charges of involvement in the demolition of the historical Jufelhurst School.

The school had been established in the Soldier Bazaar area in 1931 by Sybil D’Abero, who had also built her 500-yard residence within the boundary of the educational institution. Parts of the building and the house on the premises, which had been declared a heritage site by the Sindh Culture Department, were razed on April 9 last year at the best of Adnan, Zeeshan and Muhammad Abid, who claimed to be its owners.

On Friday, the lawyers for the defendants had earlier argued that the anti-corruption police had no proof that their clients were involved. Taking into account the arguments put forward the defence lawyers, the court ordered the acquittals of 14 defendants, including Siddiqui, Sajjad Bashir, Adnan Ali, Zulfiqar Korijo, Dilshad Ali Shehvani, Mukhtiarkar Ahmed Memon, Zeeshan and Abid Shabbir.

The court heard arguments on the acquittal pleas filed on behalf of the KDA director general, Inspector Adnan Ali, ASI Irshad Ahmed, ASI Hakim Ali, builder Sajjad Bashir, contractor Muhammad Ameen, surveyor Ghulam Fareed, former Mukhtiarkar Ahmed Memon and others. It noted that the prosecution had failed to present any proof that the accused had issued any illegal order to demolish the school and said it was fair to acquit them.

The defendants said they were innocent and were not aware of the fact that the building was ever declared a cultural heritage. The prosecution claimed that Adnan Ali, Zeeshan and others had tried to occupy the school plot by destructing the school.

The building was declared a cultural heritage on January 29, 2016. The Mukhtiarkaar was alleged to have issued a no-objection certificate on March 16, 2016, in violation of rules and regulations.