The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to resume its probe into the non-funded part of the much-talked-about Sonali Bank loan scam.
“As Sonali Bank authorities in its internal probe found that some 37 commercial banks were involved in non-funded part of Sonali Bank loan scam, the Commission has decided to resume its probe into it,” ACC director Belal Hossain told the monthly press briefing of the ACC at its media centre on Tuesday.
According to official sources, the Foreign Exchange Division of Sonali Bank handed over a 6,000-page probe report to the Commission on June 16, 2015, and taking the report into the account the ACC recently decided to restart probe into the non-funded part of the loan scam.
On April 7, 2014, the ACC revoked its ongoing probe into the non-funded part of loan scam saying it was out of the commission’s jurisdiction.
Hall-Mark Group swindled out a total of Tk 3,547 crore from the Sonali Bank-both funded and non-funded ones.
The controversial group swindled out Tk 1,568 crore from the bank’s Ruposhi Bangla branch in cash while it plundered Tk 1,709 crore from different private banks, showing Sonali Bank clearance.
In the non-funded part, Hall-Mark Group plundered Tk 1,709 crore from 37 commercial banks — 25 private banks, five foreign banks and seven government banks.
On October 4, 2012, the ACC filed 11 cases against 27 officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group on charge of swindling out Tk 1,568 crore from the bank’s Ruposhi Bangla branch in cash.
On September 16, 2013, the Commission approved 11 charge-sheets against 25 people for the embezzlement of the money.
The ACC, in January 2013, filed another 26 cases against 35 top officials of Sonali Bank and five business firms, including 17 of the bank, for swindling out over Tk 350 crore from it.
