GUJRANWALA: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has identified 900 suspected bogus property registrations in a revenue estate in Gujranwala. Officials said the cases may have caused a loss of more than Rs. 114.86 million in taxes and other government revenue.
ACE Gujranwala Region Director Amjad Shehzad said the investigation followed complaints about irregularities in revenue records. The complaints concerned property transactions in Mouza Ladhiawala Warraich. ACE teams took the relevant records into custody for examination.
Officials reviewed 4,987 mutations recorded during the past two years. These transactions covered both large and small land deals. According to the ACE director, 900 mutations showed signs of suspected bogus registrations.
The investigation also found discrepancies in stamp papers. Some documents showed stamp papers with a declared value above Rs. 3,000. Online verification reportedly showed that the actual value was only Rs. 500.
Officials also found differences in property records. In some cases, the names of buyers and sellers in physical documents did not match the online records. The ACE said these discrepancies are part of the ongoing investigation.
According to Amjad Shehzad, the suspected irregular registrations resulted in a revenue loss of Rs. 114.865 million. The amount includes taxes and other government charges linked to the transactions.
The inquiry also covers revenue officials who served in the area during the period under review. This includes relevant tehsildars and patwaris. Assistant commissioners who served in Gujranwala Sadar during the relevant period will also be questioned.
The ACE is examining the signatures and roles of officials linked to the disputed registrations. It is also investigating the process used for property site verification. Officials are looking into allegations involving a private team that carried out some verification visits.
The inquiry could affect around 1,800 buyers and sellers, according to the ACE director. These individuals may be called to provide their statements during the investigation.
The investigation is still underway. The findings and responsibility of individual officials will depend on the evidence collected during the inquiry.
