FIA registers corruption case against CDA officials over disputed Tarlai Kalan plot

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a corruption case against two officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over allegations that they issued a no-demand certificate (NDC) for a disputed plot in Tarlai Kalan by concealing the existence of pending litigation.

According to the FIR, Deputy Director Estate Management-II Sajjadullah and dealing assistant Yasir Irfan have been nominated in the case following an inquiry triggered by a citizen’s complaint.

The complainant alleged that the officials declared the plot clear despite a legal dispute that had been pending since 2022. The disputed status of the property reportedly emerged during an attempted transfer, creating a legal obstacle to the transaction.

The FIA alleged that the officials issued the NDC after accepting a bribe and deliberately withheld details of the litigation from the official record. The case includes provisions relating to corruption and misuse of authority.

The FIR stated that the complainant was deprived of the right to sell or transfer the property because of the disputed status of the plot. It added that action against the CDA officials was initiated after the completion of the FIA inquiry.

FIA officials said the investigation would also examine the role of other individuals who may have been involved in the matter.

Sajjadullah has reportedly served in CDA’s Estate Management-II directorate for several years and handled matters relating to high-value commercial plots. He had also dealt with the allotment of a Blue Area commercial plot which, according to allegations, was allotted at a value significantly below its market price.

At the time, Sajjadullah had maintained that the allotment was made with the approval of the then CDA chairman and on the advice of the authority’s law wing.

Responding to the development, CDA officials said a case had been registered and legal proceedings were under way. They said the FIA was the investigating agency and that the CDA, as an institution, would accept whatever decision was reached following the investigation.