'Land grabbing' case: ACE arrests PML-N ex-parliamentary secretary Mudassar Nahra

LAHORE: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab on Friday arrested PML-N ex-parliamentary secretary for fisheries Mudassar Nahra in a millions of rupees land grabbing case. An ACE team along with a heavy contingent of police arrested Mudassar from his residence for illegally occupying state land measuring over 267 canals in the area of Noshera Virkan. A spokesperson for the ACE said that the action was taken in the light of a reference moved by the Deputy Commissioner Gujranwala to ACE Director General Gohar Nafees.

The spokesperson claimed that the DC requested to initiate criminal proceedings against 15 persons including Sultan Nahra, Mudassar Nahra, his brother (sitting MNA), officers of the revenue department and Shahbaz Ahmed Chatha for illegally occupying and cultivating the state land in question.

He said that penal rent amounting to Rs24,050,574 million may also be recovered from the Nahra family for illegally occupying and cultivating the state land. "The land in question, however, was retrieved last month," he said adding that a JIT comprising Circle Officer (CO) HQ Gujranwala, CO Gujranwala and Assistant Director Legal had been formed to further probe the matter.

Meanwhile, the ACE in another action registered a First Information Report (FIR) against PML-N former Federal Minister Ghulam Dastgir Khan for illegally occupying prime land of Tehsil Council Sadar Gujranwala and provincial government's measuring one canal and 10 marlas since 1967.

The DC Gujranwala, Lieutenant Sohail Ashraf (R), in his reference to the ACE DG had also requested to start criminal proceedings against Ghulam Dastgir for illegally occupying precious state land and constructing Gulistan Cinema without any building plan.

The DC also recommended action against government officers including MO Planning Tahir Gujjar and Sarfraz Ahmed, Ex-building Inspector Nandi Pur Town, for helping the beneficiaries in their "nefarious designs" against the state exchequer.

The District Rent Assessment Committee Gujranwala has approved a rent of Rs17,159761 to be recovered from the owners of Gulistan Cinema, the ACE spokesperson said, adding that none was above the law and "across the board accountability" demands indiscriminate action against all offenders irrespective of their affiliations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020