Builder bribed SBCA, other civic agencies’ officials to build illegal structure: police

Police on Tuesday submitted a charge sheet on the Golimar building collapse in a city court, concluding that the builder bribed the Sindh Building Control Authority and other civic agencies’ officials to build the illegal structure.

At least 27 people were killed and two dozen were injured as a six-storey building collapsed in Golimar on March 5 this year. According to the prosecution, the building was constructed illegally because the area was a residential one where putting up more than two floors was not allowed.

The prosecution said the SBCA officials illegally approved the construction of the building against kickbacks and deliberately ignored the flaws in its structure which later proved devastating.

Police had registered the FIR, on behalf of the State, against the building owner, Muhammad Javed, and officials of the relevant institutions. Javed, according to the investigation officer, has revealed the names of other SBCA officials involved in the illegal construction.

The IO said the SBCA director-general had been informed about the involvement of the named officers and their arrests would be made accordingly.

In the charge sheet, police have named the building owner’s wife Jamal Fatima, their two sons Junaid and Jibran, SBCA officials Muhammad Raqeeb, Amir Kamal Jafri, Abid Hussain and Anas as absconders.

One suspect, SBCA official Imran Sheikh, is on bail, while four people are in police custody, including Javed, SBCA officials Sarfaraz Jamali, Maqsood Qureshi and Ifran Ali.

After the building collapsed this year, a case was registered under Sections 322 (manslaughter), 119 (public servant concealing design to commit an offence which it is his duty to prevent), 337-H (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.