ACC orders reinvestigation into graft case against Khaleda
August 8, 2008
Barapukuria Coal-mine
ACC orders reinvestigation into graft case against Khaleda
Staff Correspondent
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday ordered re-investigation of the case involving Barapukuria coal mine operation contract as the investigation report submitted to the commission is not comprehensive.
ACC Assistant Director Shamsul Alam filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station on February 26 against detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 15 others including 10 former ministers from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami for graft in awarding Barapukuria coal mine operation contract to a Chinese company, causing a loss of over Tk 158.71 crore to the public exchequer.
The accused are M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, barrister Aminul Haque, Altaf Hossain Choudhury, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Motiur Rahman Nizami, former acting secretary to energy and mineral resources Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla chairman SR Osmani, former Petrobangla director Mainul Ahsan, former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) Sirajul Islam and Hosaf Group Chairman Moazzem Hossain.
“We have appointed Deputy Director Abul Kashem Fakir as the investigation officer of the case as the investigation report submitted to the commission regarding the case was inappropriate,” ACC Director General (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal said during a routine press briefing at the ACC headquarters yesterday.
Sources in ACC say that the report was considered not comprehensive, as there were weaknesses in the report including the witnesses cited.
Fakir has replaced ACC Deputy Director Monirul Huq.
Charge Sheets
The ACC yesterday approved eight charge sheets to be submitted against 18 people including Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan (Shah Alam), detained Rajshahi City Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, former state minister Fazlur Rahman Patal on charges of concealing wealth information, amassing wealth by illegal means, bribery and deception.
In the approved charge sheet Shah Alam will be charged with concealing information about wealth worth over Tk 14.17 crore in the wealth statement submitted to the commission and amassing wealth worth over Tk 107.81 crore.
The charge sheet also includes Shah Alam’s wife Afroza Begum and their sons Shahdat Sobhan, Safayat Sobhan, Safian Sobhan and Sayem Sobhan. Wife and sons of Shah Alam will be charged for abetting him in concealing wealth information and amass wealth beyond known sources of income.
ACC Deputy Director Abdullah Al Zahid filed the case with Ramna police on December 9 accusing the Shah Alam family of amassing ill-gotten wealth worth about Tk 606 crore.
All the accused are on the run and are also accused in several other cases in connection with tax evasion and land grabbing.
Rajshahi City Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and his wife Salma Shahadat will be charged in another charge sheet for concealing information about wealth worth over Tk 1.02 crore and amassing wealth worth over Tk 3.08 crore beyond known sources of income.
M Monirul Haque, deputy director of Rajshahi ACC, filed the case against Minu and his wife with Boalia Model Police Station on November 11, 2007 for accumulating around Tk 2.27-crore illegal wealth and concealing around Tk 1.92 crore in his wealth statement.
Former state minister Fazlur Rahman Patal will be charged for concealing information about wealth worth Tk 2.2 lakh and amassing over Tk 87.63 lakh beyond known income sources.
In another charge sheet Dhaka City Corporation ward commissioner Mirza Khokon and his wife Masuda Ekram will be accused of concealing wealth information of Tk 29.32 lakh and amassing wealth worth over Tk 1.54 crore beyond known sources of income.
District forest officer Zafrul Hasan will be accused in another charge sheet on charges of concealing information about wealth worth over Tk 15.75 lakh and amassing wealth worth over Tk 97.68 lakh beyond known sources of income.
The other charge sheets will be submitted against the deputy manager (estate), Chittagong, Zillur Rahman, and managing director of EEC Bangla Knit Wears Ltd Palash Barua and two others and junior auditor of upazila accounts office, Jessore, Tariqul Islam on charges of concealing information about wealth worth over Tk 21.63 lakh, attempt to withdraw Tk 4 crore through deception and taking Tk 7,000 as bribe.
TAC
The ACC yesterday also confirmed that two people have applied through it to face the Truth and Accountability Commission (Tac) to disclose information voluntarily regarding their corruption and ill-gotten wealth.
“We have received applications from two persons who wanted to make voluntary disclosures about their ill-gotten wealth before the Truth and Accountability Commission,” said Col Hanif Iqbal at the briefing.
After confirming that the applicants are not politicians, Hanif, however, denied disclosing their identity saying that the Voluntary Disclosure of Information Ordinance, 2008 has the provision to keep information about an absolution seeker secret if he/she wants.
Accused ACC Officials
The ACC yesterday also handed over a list of 12 officials of the commission so far suspended temporarily or accused in cases or investigated by the commission on various charges including intimidation, bribery, misbehaviour, destruction of necessary papers from official documents and embezzlement.
Of the 12 ACC officials, case were filed against assistant inspector Nizam Uddin and Abdur Rahman, who were also suspended temporarily, on charges of intimidating people and realising bribe from them.
Five people against whom allegations were lodged have been served with notices. They are Harun-Or-Rashid Bhuiyan, constable-259, Abdul Motaleb Khandaker, Mir Reza Habibur Rahman, constable-212, deputy director Kamrul Ahsan, and assistant director Shamsul Alam charged with bribery, intimidating people, misbehaviour, and destruction of official documents.
Three ACC officials are under investigation on these charges and also embezzlement. They are office assistant Sayek Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman, constable-213, and Golam Rasul, constable-312. Investigation report has been submitted against assistant director Saif Mahmud. It has also been decided to file a case against Habibullah, a data-entry operator.
Trap Case
The ACC has decided to announce reward for trapping bribe-seekers red-handed following reports of various survey and allegations that a large number of officials at different offices take bribe in carrying out their duties.
Hanif said the decision has been taken to ease pressures of giving bribe from the shoulder of people while receiving due service.
The ACC has decided to strengthen its provision of filing trap case under rules 16 of ACC Act to catch people red-handed while taking bribe.
The commission will also go for media campaign to make people aware about its decision and send directions to its divisional offices.
More links realated to this topic
Comments
Got something to say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.