Rs9 bn corruption case: Anti-graft body recommends FIR against Mustafa Kamal, others

KARACHI: Inquiries and Anti-corruption Establishment (I&ACE) Sindh recommended lodging of First Information Report (FIR) against Chairman Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Mustafa Kamal and 25 officers of Sindh government for allegedly misusing authority and causing loss of over nine billion of rupees to national exchequer.

According to official record, copies available with The News, Anti-corruption Deputy Director Zameer Abbasi in a confidential letter addressed to higher authorities recommended lodging of FIR under section 154 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc) against Mustafa Kamal, former head of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Lala Fazal Rehman and 24 officers of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Water Board for allegedly misusing authority in allotting 49.75 acres of Sindh government land reserved for ‘greater Karachi sewerage plant’ Mehmoodabad.

The land is worth Rs4.2 billion. The accused then allegedly used official funds worth Rs1.73 billion illegally on the same area in the name of development. Abbasi was of the view that this act of accused persons not only caused loss of Rs5 billion and but also caused additional Rs5 billion loss to exchequer as due to illegal allotment the project cost for the water treatment plant escalated to Rs5 billion due to delay and change in plan.

He was of the view that preliminary inquiry, available record, evidence and facts suggested that the offence was squarely made out. According to procedure of Anti-corruption, matter will be present before Anti-corruption One (ACC-1) headed by Chief Secretary Sindh for formal approval of lodging of FIR and further proceedings.

Mustafa Kamal while talking with media rejected all the accusations and said that he was being punished for his efforts to make Karachi great. Kamal added that around 50 acres of extra land of Water and Sewerage Plant was allotted for resettlement of affectees of Preedy Street project and in this regard in 2008, the city council had adopted a resolution for allotment of the land to the affected people.

Waseem Aftab, vice-chairman of PSP, told The News that recommendations of Anti-corruption regarding lodging of FIR against a person like Mustafa Kamal was not good for city as according to him Kamal had devoted his whole life for the betterment of the Karachi city.

“There is no question of illegal act, misusing of authority and corruption as the procedure was made out within the limits of law followed by the recommendations of city council,” concluded Aftab.

Earlier in January this year during the hearing of water and sewerage facilities in Sindh province at Supreme Court, Secretary Sindh Local Government had submitted a report regarding illegal allotment of said sewerage plant land of Mehmoodabad. The apex court ordered Chief Secretary Sindh for appropriate action and then the matter was transferred to Inquiries and Anti-corruption Establishment for investigation of the issue.

Anti-corruption initiated inquiry and after collecting evidences in October summoned Mustafa Kamal to record his statement before Investigation Officer Abbasi and on October 4 kanal joined the investigation and appeared before IO. He was letter served a questionnaire which he replied after the passage of few days.

During the course of investigation, a former officer of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board who was also accused of the same matter in his confessional statement under 161 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.Pc) before Inquiries and Anti-Corruption Establishment (copy exclusively available with The News) confessed to illegal allotment of the said land allegedly by Kamal and his former party fellows.

Investigation Officer Zameer Abbasi told this reporter that matter was initiated on the directions of Chief Secretary Sindh following the orders of Supreme Court.