CJP approached against Omni Group in property grabbing issue

KARACHI: Kanwal Mustafa Shah, a member of late Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah’s family who was a renowned scholar of Sindh and former federal education minister and close aide of Benazir Bhutto, approached Chief Justice of Pakistan regarding alleged grabbing of her family’s property, sugar mills and agriculture land in district Sujawal, Sindh allegedly by the Omni group.

In her letter, (copy available with The News), copies also forwarded to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general, Banking Court (Offences) presiding officer, Karachi, Joint Investigation Team (JIT) head; she stated that her deceased husband Syed Masood Mustafa Shah, PPP leader, her mother-in-law Azam Rafique Shah, her sister-in-law Mohsina Mustafa and other members of the family are shareholders in Larr Sugar Mills Limited ‘LSML’ district Sujawal, Sindh, which was forcibly grabbed by Omni group following a fake and fictitious agreement of the members of her family.

Mrs Shah further stated that her husband, Syed Masood Mustafa Shah, died in Karachi on March 19, 2011 and after that neither any letter of administration nor any succession application has yet been filed by any of his legal heirs in any court of law. Her mother-in-law Mrs Azam Rafique Shah had been under psychiatric care since 1993. She developed various diseases. However, after the death of her son (her husband) in young age, her condition began to deteriorate and ultimately she became a lady of unsound mind in 2012.

Mrs Shah complained that Omni (Private) Limited through its Chief Executive Anver Majid committed fraud with them by entering into a fake share purchase agreement on March 12, 2014 whereby, Omni Group has showed the purchased 100 percent shares together with management and control of their sugar mills, Larr Sugar Mills’ Limited (LSML) from the other shareholders. This agreement is not legal and valid contract but is illegal and null and void.

In her letter she appealed CJP to take notice of the issue and consider her family as party in an infamous ‘money laundering case’ under proceeding in the Supreme Court, as head of Omni group Anver Majid’s family during the proceedings offered the banks in Supreme Court to takeover some of group’s sugar mills against bank loans including her family’s Sugar Mill (Larr Sugar Mills). The matter of property of her family including ownership of said mill was under proceedings in the Sindh High Court.

She further stated that her mother-in-law is co-owner of agricultural land measuring 109-17 acres in Deh Keenjhar, Taspo Walhar, Taluka and District Sujawal, having 50 percent share; purported sale deed was made on March 31, 2015 in respect of the aforesaid land in the name of Larr Sugar Mills illegally which was neither signed nor executed by her mother-in-law nor any sale consideration was paid to her and without consent of owner and therefore the same is also null and void. This matter is also pending before Sindh High Court.

She added that suit No.1394 of 2017 in the High Court of Sindh at Karachi for declaration, injunction, cancellation of documents, rendition of accounts, possession and profits against Omni (Private) Limited and others regarding the said illegal encroachment of Sugar Mill and agriculture land.

In the said petition she had provided full particulars of alleged fraud, forgery, manipulation, collusion, illegality and unlawful acts in her plaint. She requested CJP for appropriate legal action and restoration of their position as it was before the said fake shares purchase agreement of March 12, 2014.

When this reporter contacted Kamwal Mustafa Shah for her version, she by confirming her application to CJP and other authorities told that she came to know through media that Anver Majid family offered the banks in Supreme Court to takeover some of group’s sugar mills against bank loans including their family’s sugar mills (Larr Sugar Mills); as the matter of property of her family was under proceedings in the Sindh High Court. She said that a formal request will also be made in the Supreme Court to make her family party to the case.