Committee formed to probe use of fake stamp papers in property deals

KARACHI: An inquiry committee has been constituted to detect the matters of fake stamp papers being used in millions of rupees property deals throughout the province, especially in Karachi.

According to documentary evidences available with The News, a five-member inquiry committee has been constituted by the Sindh Board of Revenue (BoR) after the detection of fake stamp papers used in a property deal in the office of Sub-Registrar North Nazimabad, Karachi.

The BOR authorities took serious notice and constituted the committee to scrutinise matters of fake stamp papers throughout the province.

The Board authorities directed the committee to determine the source and mode of tampering with the stamp papers, suggest steps and measures to curb the utilisation of fake stamps and stamp papers and fix responsibility in this practice.

Sources in the BOR told The News that a mafia in collaboration with some officials of the department were using fake stamp papers causing financial loss to the national exchequer throughout the province and after the inquiry many cases of using of fake stamps could be unearthed.

Source added that some one year back a group of criminals involved in same crime of using fake stamp papers was detected by the BOR’s Stamp Wing officials and then the matter was handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Chairman of the committee and deputy chief inspector of stamps Ghulam Abbas Shah confirmed the move and said that some fake stamp papers were detected during the audit and all information was provided to the high-ups.

“A committee has been constituted in my supervision and we will inspect all the matters,” Ghulam Abbas Shah said.

Replying to a question, he said there will be no effect upon the deals carried out through these fake stamp papers but the seller and buyer will have to deposit the actual amount.  

The inquiry committee is comprised of Muhammad Aslam, Assistant Chief Inspector Stamps, inspectors Aijaz Qureshi, Khadim Hussain Jarwar and Arif Khan.