bdnews24.com :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has made little headway in the investigation into the ‘unusual’ increase in the wealth some ministers and MPs of the 9th Parliament despite substantial proof of corruption.
The ACC says, it is unable to file cases despite having information, as the investigation reports are yet to be filed.
The ACC had decided on Jan 22, on the basis affidavits filed with nomination papers before the 10th national elections, to investigate the wealth of former Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, former State Minister for Water Resources Mahbubur Rahman Talukder and former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan, and MPs Aslamul Haq, Abdur Rahman Badi, Emanul Haq, and MA Jabbar.
Among them, Abdul Mannan was defeated by Jatiya Party Presidium member Salma Islam. The rest have been re-elected.
“Although we have information about corruption, we have no idea when cases can be filed since the investigation reports have not been filed,” ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman told bdnews24.com.
ACC Deputy Director Mirza Zahidul Alam was given the job of investigating the wealth of Ruhul Haque, Deputy Director Sheikh Nasiruddin was entrusted with probing Andul Mannan, and Deputy Director Khairul Huda was asked to look into the wealth of Mahbubur Rahman.
Besides, Deputy Directors Sheikh Faiz Alam, Ahsan Ali, Sayed Tahsinul Haq, and
Mahamudur Rahman were entrusted with the task of probing MPs Aslamul Haq, Abdur Rahman Badi, Emanul Haq and Abdur Zabbar respectively.
Within two months of the preliminary probe, ACC Commissioner Ahmed had told bdnews24.com that they already had evidence of illegal wealth being amassed by the seven leaders.
On June 25, former ACC Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury had told a press conference that the investigations were almost over.
But an ACC investigation cell official told this news agency on July 27 that they were nowhere near filing a case.
“We don’t have any update. We must have the investigation reports to start a case. But we don’t even a draft report, leave alone the final report,” he said.
The investigation cell scrutinises the preliminary reports and forwards them to the Commission’s policy-making level.
“We have not been told anything specifically about when the reports are going to be filed,” the official added.
When contacted, M Badiuzzaman told bdnews24.com: “The Commission has not received any report yet. So we have not been able decide on filing cases.”
“We have evidence of corruption. Investigations are also on. The Commission will take a decision on filing the cases after the reports are filed,” he added.
But he also said that the investigators had not been given any time frame regarding the completion of the probes
According to the ACC rules, 90 working days are allowed for completing any probe.
But in case of complicated cases, the investigators can seek more time after filing an initial report.
