ISLAMABAD: Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain lodged a complaint with police on Wednesday against two retired army officers and a developer, accusing them of blackmailing Bahria Town.

Mr Hussain, accompanied by his staff, went to Lohi Baher police station to lodge the case.

Personal staff officer of Bahria Town retired Lt Col Khalilur Rehman has been cited as the complainant.

The complainant alleged that retired Lt Col Tariq Kamal, a resident of Rawalpindi, Dr Shafiqur Rehman and retired Col Khalid Rasheed were blackmailing Bahria Town.

According to the complaint, the accused blackmailed Bahria Town on different occasions and extorted large amounts of money by using the names of influential people, including Arsalan Iftikhar, and hurling ‘dire consequences’ threats.

Lt Col Rehman said that on June 28, 2013, retired Lt Col Tariq Kamal came to the offices of Bahria Town, received Rs50 million in his presence, promised not to level false allegations against Bahria Town and its chairman in future and withdraw applications submitted in differe artments.

The episode was recorded with the help of CCTV cameras, he added.

The complainant said that about 15 days ago retired Lt Col Tariq Kamal again demanded Rs50m and when the payment was not made he submitted applications with different departments against Bahria Town and its chairman and threatened to pursue them.

Mr Rehman requested police to register the case and recover Rs50m paid to retired Mr Kamal.

The complainant told Dawn that Mr Kamal had lodged false and baseless applications against Bahria Town and its chairman with NAB, FIA and the Supreme Court.

When approached for his side of the story, retired Lt Col Kamal said: “I am in a meeting.”

Retired Col Khalid Rasheed said: “I am not an accused in the application and the complainant has described me as an accomplice.”

He said he had purchased 1,600 kanals of land in Takhat Pari in 2004, but Malik Riaz claimed that he had already bought it, but all departments, including anti-corruption department, and courts had given a decision in his favour.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play