ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday filed a reference in the accountability court against four officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the owner of Saf a Gold Mall for alleged corruption in the approval of the building site plan.

According to NAB, Ghulam Murtaza Malik, ex-deputy director general; Khalil Ahmad, former director; MohammadAmmar Idrees, ex-deputy director of the Building Control Section, Khadim Hussain, ex-assistant director CDA, and Rana Abdul Qayyum, the owner of the mall, in connivance with each other allowed the deduction of services area from the permissible covered area and thus paved the way for the construction of more storeys in the mall in violation of the terms of the allotment letter.

`Accused Rana Abdul Qayyum, being the owner of the plot willfully, knowingly, with criminal intent in collusion with CDA officials gained illegal favors and undue benefits which caused loss to the authority of about Rs1.07 billion,` a NAB spokesman said in a handout.

All five accused persons were arrested on Nov 20, 2017, and remained in NAB`s custody until Nov 27 when they were sent in judicial custody.

NAB took the action af ter the CDA boardcancelled the plot of the commercial plaza for illegally constructing three storeys and other violations in the building plan.

The CDA had auctioned the plot in Jinnah Super Market in 2010 where once its health department was located. But the civic agency converted the health facility plot into a commercial one.

In the allotment letter, it was clearly defined that the floor-area ratio of the building would be 1:5 with 100pc coverage and the number of storeys was ground plus four, thus capping the height of the building.

A CDA`s own report said in no case could the number of storeys be enhanced in violation of the relevant planning parameters and clauses of the allotment letter.

The inquiry report was finalised by a committee which was tasked to probe the role of the four officials.

The committee had also recommendedcancelled the plot of the commercial plaza for illegally constructing three storeys and other violations in the building plan.

The CDA had auctioned the plot in Jinnah Super Market in 2010 where once its health department was located. But the civic agency converted the health facility plot into a commercial one.

In the allotment letter, it was clearly defined that the floor-area ratio of the building would be 1:5 with 100pc coverage and the number of storeys was ground plus four, thus capping the height of the building.

A CDA`s own report said in no case could the number of storeys be enhanced in violation of the relevant planning parameters and clauses of the allotment letter.

The inquiry report was finalised by a committee which was tasked to probe the role of the four officials.

The committee had also recommendedthat the three illegally-built storeys be removed but no action has so f ar been taken to demolish them.

A parallel case is still pending before the Islamabad High Court, which had directed the CDA to come up with a solution.

CDA Member Planning Asad Kayani had proposed before the board that a Rs1.7 billion penalty should be imposed on the violators but the civic agency decided to cancel the plot and placed its decision before the court for a final decision.

It has been reported in the media that at one stage in 2013 NAB had cleared the project but later a new inquiry was initiated.

It is believed that if proper inquiry is conducted several other officials could be found guilty in the case.

Former CDA chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz, who was removed from the post for his illegal appointment, had termed the arrest of the of ficials a positive development.