Karachi (Republic Pk) The Sindh High Court has ruled on a 21-year-old appeal in the case of fraud in the purchasing of a commercial plot in DHA and increased the amount of damages from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 15 crore.
According to the court records, the petitioner’s lawyer took the stand that in 1997, Bashir Akhtar had paid Rs 43 lakh for the purchase of the plot, despite the full payment, the plot was transferred to another person.
The honorable court has stated in his decision that the record proves, the pay order issued by Bashir Akhtar has been used as the price in the contract and the current owner of the plot could not produce any proof regarding the payment of the plot.
The court further said that the plaintiffs were deprived of his capital and its benefits for almost 3 decades, on other hand, the price of the commercial plots in the defense housing authority (DHA) has increased abnormally, the requirements of justice cannot be satisfied by paying the actual amount or nominal damages to the plaintiffs.
The real estate company and the existing owner of the said plot should jointly pay the damages and the damages should be paid with 15% annual markup since 1998.