SHC orders inquiry against sub-registrars of Jamshed Town for misplacing record

The Sindh High Court (SHC) took exception to the disappearance of property records in the sub-registrar officer Jamshed Town and referred the matter to the Anti-Corruption Establishment to hold an inquiry against eight sub-registrars of Jamshed Town Karachi.

The direction came on a petition of Tahira Bano who had moved the court against the disappearance of her original sale deed documents by the sub-registrar office. The petitioner had submitted that she had purchased a residential plot in Jamshed Quarters after performing all requisite formalities by way of sale deed and approached a sub-registrar Jamshed Town for getting the original sale deed registered in favour of the petitioner.

She submitted that the sub-registrar office was time and again asked to hand over the original sale deed duly registered however the officials did not return the same. A counsel for the petitioner submitted that high-ups of the revenue department, including district registrars and member board of revenue, were informed about the conduct of the sub-registrar but no action had been taken by them.

The sub-registrar of the Jamshed Town submitted that the original sale deed of the petitioner had been misplaced in his office and admitted that he did not inform the petitioner about misplacing of sale deed.

The sub-registrar, however, submitted that the sale deed was later found but did not mention as to where and in whose possession the original sale deed was lying for about four-and-a-half years. He submitted that eight sub-registrars had been appointed since December 12, 2017 till date.

A division bench of the SHC comprising Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput and Justice Mohammad Faisal Kamal Alam after hearing the case observed that the alleged sale deed was missing in the office for almost four-and-a-half years and during such period, eight sub-registrars had been appointed on such posts who did not hand over the sale deed document of the petitioner despite repeated requests.

The high court observed that such conduct of the sub-registrar office spoke volumes of affairs of the sub-registrar office during the last four-and-a-half years where eight sub-registrars were appointed.

Disposing of the petition, the SHC referred the matter to the Anti-Corruption Establishment director to hold an inquiry into the matter and in case there appeared to be any any criminal misconduct on part of the aforementioned eight sub-registrars, cognisance shall be taken against the responsible persons in accordance with the law. The high court directed the Anti-Corruption Establishment to submit a compliance report within four weeks.