Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)
ACC sues NSU trustee board chairman, 5 others for stealing money
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday sued the chairman of the board of trustees of North South University (NSU) Azim Uddin Ahmed and five others for embezzling money in the name of buying land for the campus. The other accused are: Managing director of Ashalaya Housing and Developers Limited Amin Mobammad Hilali and NSU Board of Trustee members M.A. Kashem, Benazir Ahmed, Rehana Rahman and Muhammad Shahjahan.
Also read: PMO document forgery: ACC approves chargesheet against 8 people including NSU treasurer Shahjahan ACC Secretary Mahbub Hossain confirmed this at a media briefing at ACC headquarters in the capital. The investigating officer of the ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwar filed the case, he said. According to the Private University Act, 2010, the Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of a private university like North South University. According to the Memorandum of Association and Articles (Rules and Regulations) of the University, the University is a charitable, welfare oriented, non-commercial and non-profit educational institution. The case states that over 9088 decimal land was bought in the name of campus development of NSU through the consent of some members of the Board of Trustees bypassing the approval of the University Syndicate, University Grants Commission and Ministry of Education. They later withdrew cash from the buyer through cash check in their own names and kept FDR in their own names. Later, they themselves embezzled the FDR money.
Also read: HC denies bail to suspended ACC director in bribery case They have unjustly benefited themselves by committing illegal activities, criminal misconduct through misuse of power and embezzling university and government funds, according to the case. In carrying out such illegal activities, they have committed a punishable offense by resorting to fraud and forgery and exchanging commissions.
Samrat denied bail in graft case, cannot walk out of jail
A Dhaka court on Wednesday turned down the bail petition of expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Al Asad Md Asifuzzaman, Judge of Dhaka Special Judge Court-6, rejected the bail petition filed by Samrat’s counsel Ehsanul Haque Shomaji.
Also read:Samrat gets bail in drugs case, but cannot walk out of jail
During the hearing, Samrat’s counsel told the court that Samrat had undergone bypass surgery in 1996. “He is very ill and has no chance to flee the country.”
On the other hand, ACC Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal opposed bail.
Now, Samrat will not be able to walk out of jail due to the judgment, said Samrat’s counsel.
Earlier, he secured bail in drugs case on Monday and in an arms case and a money laundering case on Sunday.
Samrat has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital since November 24 last year.
On October 6 in 2019, Rab arrested Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chauddagram in Cumilla.
Rab later raided his Kakrail office on that day. Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office.
He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act and was sent to jail the same day.
On October 7, Abdul Khaleque, Deputy Assistant Director of Rab-1 filed two cases against Samrat at Ramna police station under the Arms and the Narcotics Act. Arman was also made accused in the narcotic case.
On November 4, Shekhar Chandra Mallik, Sub Inspector of Rab-1 submitted a charge sheet against Samrat in the arms case.
Also read: Expelled Jubo League leader Samrat gets bail in arms and money laundering cases
On November 12, ACC filed a case against him for acquiring assets worth Tk 2.94 crore beyond his known sources of income.
On September 12, 2020, Rashedur Rahman, Sub-Inspector of CID filed a case against him at Ramna police station for laundering Tk 195 crore to Malaysia and Singapore.
Lastly, on November 26 last year, the investigation officer of the case, Jahangir Alam, submitted a charge sheet before the court.
ACC files case against senior official of Standard Bank
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday filed a case against Senior Assistant Vice President (SAVP) of Standard Bank, Rafiq Mahmood for misappropriating TK 31 crore 18 lakh.
The case was filed with the Coordinated Office, ACC-1 after the primary investigation.
Also read:ACC sues former officials of GCC
Deputy Director of ACC Public relation office Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB that deputy director G M Ahsanul Kabir filed the case against the former manager of the Shyampur branch of the bank.
According to the statement, the bank spotted that the former branch manager Rafiq opened fixed deposits worth Tk 30crore without following proper guidelines of the bank and transferred almost Tk 18 crore to his account.
Also read: Ex-CJ Sinha faces another graft case filed by ACC
He used his relatives' documents to open those fixed deposits to embezzle the money.
The present manager of the same branch of the bank SAVP Jasim Bhuiyan filed a complaint with the Shyampur police station.
Money laundering: HC to hear ACC’s appeal against ex-DIG Mizan’s acquittal
The High Court on Sunday accepted for hearing the appeal of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mizanur Rahman’s acquittal of the money laundering charges.
A bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order and summoned the documents of the case.
The two appeals will be heard together with Mizan’s appeal against the sentence in bribery case.
Also read: Bribery case: HC to hear ex-DIG Mizan’s appeal seeking acquittal
Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik and Assistant Attorney General Anna Khanam Kali represented the state.
Khurshid said the lower court had acquitted former DIG Mizan of money laundering charges. “Later, we appealed to the High Court seeking punishment in that charge.”
“ACC director Khandaker Enamul Basir was sentenced to five years in prison and fined Tk 80 lakh under the money laundering act. However, Mizanur Rahman was acquitted under this section,” he added.
On April 6, the HC accepted for hearing the appeal of former DIG Mizan’s seeking acquittal in a bribery case.
The court sentenced ACC director Basir to eight years imprisonment with Tk 80 lakh fine and Mizan to three years.
Basir was sentenced to three years jail term for bribery and five-year jail term under money laundering act but he will have to spend five years in prison as the two punishments will be served simultaneously, said the court.
DIG Mizan was an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He was withdrawn on January 9, 2019 following the allegation of threatening a female news presenter of a private television channel.
He had also reportedly married a woman forcibly and tortured her. Mizan allegedly abducted the 25-year-old woman in July, 2017 and then forcibly married her.
He had also implicated her in a false case whereby she was arrested and remained in jail for three weeks.
On June 24 in 2019, ACC director Monjur Morshed filed the case against DIG Mizan, his wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew sub-inspector Mahmudul Hasan and younger brother Mahbubur Rahman.
According to the case statement, the ACC found that DIG Mizan concealed information of wealth worth Tk 3.7 crore in his wealth statement.
Then director of ACC Enamul Basir was made the investigation officer in the case.
Also read:Suspended DIG Mizan, ACC director Enamul Basir indicted
During the investigation DIG Mizan accused Basir of claiming Tk 40 lakh as bribe for acquitting him from the charges.
Following the allegation, another ACC director Monjur Morshed was made the investigation officer in the case, withdrawing Basir.
A three-member probe body was formed led by ACC director Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah to look into the allegations of bribery.
On July 16, 2019, Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah filed the case over the bribery scandal against Mizan and Basir.
On April 16, 2020, a Dhaka court indicted the two and directed the official beginning of the trial in this case.
Ex-CJ Sinha faces another graft case filed by ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday filed a new case against former chief justice SK Sinha and his brother Ananta Kumar Sinha on charge of laundering around Tk 2.40 crore.
ACC secretary Md Mahbub Hossain confirmed this at a press briefing at its headquarters at Segunbagicha.
Read: Verdict in Humayun Azad murder case on April 13
ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar filed the case against them for what he said committing a punishable offense.
According to the case the former chief justice, already sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment in absentia in another graft case, laundered the amount equivalent to USD2,80000 through his brother who lives in the US.
Read: Blogger Ananta killing: 4 sentenced to death
The money was laundered to several banks of the United States through accounts of Ananta Kumar, said the case.
The anti-graft body will now investigate the case, said the ACC official.
ACC sues Jessore Education Board ex-chairman, 9 others
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against ten officials of Jessore Education Board including its ex-chairman Molla Amir allegedly for misappropriating TK 1.20 crore.
The case was filed with Jessore co-ordinated office of ACC on Tuesday after investigation.
Deputy Director of ACC Public Relations Office Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB that assistant director Mahfuz Iqbal filed the case.
Read: ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking reinstatement in job
According to the case statement, they embezzled the money in in the name of purchasing computers, computer accessories and printers during 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018- 19.
The other accused are assistant secretary (Common Services) Jahangir Alam, security officer Monir Hossain, deputy assistant engineer Kamal Hossen, sports officer Asafudullah, audit officer Abdus Salam, accounts officer Mizanur Rahman, assistant secretary (common services) Ashrarful Islam, system analyst Sharif Salma Kohinur and accounts officer Jahanara Khatun.
Fired ACC officer submits application for withdrawal of termination order
Sharif Uddin, sacked deputy assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has submitted an application before the ACC seeking withdrawal of his termination order.
Sharif submitted the application addressing the ACC Chairman on Sunday and sought reinstatement in the job.
Read: ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking probe
On February 16, the ACC issued the termination order of Sharif under section 54 (2) of the ACC (staff) Rules, 2008, signed by its Chairman Md Moinuddin Abdullah.
Until his termination he served at the coordinated district office of ACC in Patuakhali.
Protesting the order, officials and employees of the ACC formed a human chain. It also drew flak across the country.
Read: TIB urges ACC to clear the air about Sharif Uddin's removal
According to the application, Sharif said, “He conducted investigation into different graft cases from 2014 till February 2022 with reputation. He also played a vital role in the corruption cases over land acquisition in Cox’s Bazar, issuing NID to Rohingyas, passport graft case, Karnaphuli Gas distribution Company Ltd corruption case and Mymensingh land office graft case in a bid to keep the country corruption- free. During investigation in the cases, he also received threats but did not compromise.”
He was sacked from his job wrongfully and before termination no one heard his statement, which is contradictory to the constitution, the letter wrote.
ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking probe
A writ petition was filed before the High Court seeking probe into the termination of Sharif Uddin, an officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Ten lawyers of the Supreme Court filed the writ petition in the HC bench concerned on Wednesday.
The ten SC lawyers are Mohammad Sishir Monir, Rezwana Ferdous, Jamilur Rahman Khan, Uttam Kumar Banik, Mustafizur Rahman, Tarequl Islam, Ahmed Abdullah Khan, Syed Mohammad Raihan, Saiful Islam and Noab Ali.
Read:TIB urges ACC to clear the air about Sharif Uddin's removal
Advocate Sishir Monir, said, “We did not file any writ petition on behalf of any person. We just filed the writ petition seeking fair investigation into the termination of the ACC official and the ACC statement about him as it can clear everything.”
Besides, the writ petition also sought formation of committee for fair investigation and submission of the report by the committee, he said.
ACC Chairman, secretary, commissioners, directors, sacked deputy assistant director of ACC Sharif were made respondents to the writ petition.
On February 20, 10 Supreme Court lawyers sent a letter to the High Court seeking its directives to issue a show-cause notice to the ACC demanding explanation from it about the termination and ensure security of sacked ACC official Sharif.
The ACC issued a gazette notification on February 16 sacking Sharif Uddin from the post of deputy-assistant director of ACC, Patuakhali ,post.
He also served as the ACC officer in Chattogram for three years and when he was in Chattogram, Sharif recommended submitting a chargesheet against 155 officials including police, admin cadre officials and political persons for embezzling Tk 3.5 crore by acquiring land in Cox’s Bazar.
Read: Fired ACC officer Sharif fears becoming disappearance victim
Sharif also filed a case against Chattogram City Corporation Ward Councillor, Union Parishad chairman of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar and police officers for providing National Identity Cards to Rohingyas and inserting them in the voter list.
ACC officer Sharif also filed a case against some people including high officials concerned of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL), former Minister Nurul Islam’s son on June 10, 2021 for providing gas connections illegally.
Later, Sharif was transferred to Patuakhali from Chattogram.
He also received death threats from someone for his role.
Covid test scam: Khulna hospital technologist lands in jail
A Khulna court has sent a technologist of Khulna General Hospital to jail in a Tk 2.57-crore graft relating to Covid-19 tests.
Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shahidul Islam on Sunday issued the order turning down the bail petition of technologist Prakash Kumar Das, 45, said advocate Khandaker Mojibur Rahman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On November 18, Khandaker Kamruzzaman, deputy assistant director of ACC’s Khulna district office, filed the case.
Read:ACC sues Khulna General Hospital staff for embezzling Tk 2.5 crore
Prakash recently came to Khulna to join his job here with a 15-day bail from the High Court in the graft case.
According to the case statement, Prakash was in charge of collecting the fees for Covid-19 tests from people going abroad.
The case statement reveals that Prakash collected a total of Tk 4.24 crore from July, 2020 to July, 2021 from people and deposited only Tk 1.66 crore to the government treasury, and embezzled the rest of the money, Tk 2.57 crore.
Later, a five-member inquiry committee, headed by Khulna General Hospital Civil Surgeon and Supervisor Dr Niaz Mohammad, was formed to investigate the allegations.
Read: Khulna Hospital technologist decamps with Tk 2.5 crore Covid test fees
According to the probe report, the amount deposited was over Tk 2.57 crore, less than the amount he received.
Later, on September 22, an explanation was sought from Prakash and he promised to provide it the following day but he has been missing since then.
Immediately after this, a general diary (GD) was filed by the Khulna Civil Surgeon's Office with Khulna Police Station on September 28.
President's prescription: 'Boycott the corrupt'
"The society should boycott the corrupt" -- that's President Abdul Hamid's curt prescription to end corruption in Bangladesh.
"No man is born corrupt. Family, social and surrounding environment have the greatest impact on human life. So, corrupt people should be socially boycotted," he said at a programme on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9.
The programme was organised at the city's Shilapakala Academy this morning, where Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain also delivered his speech as the special guest.
Read:President signs resignation letter of Murad Hasan