The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday formally began investigation into the high-profile Baropukuria graft case filed against 16 people, including detained former premier Khaleda Zia, 10 of her ex-cabinet colleagues and five others.

"Investigating officer ACC deputy director Monirul Haque yesterday formally began the investigation into the Baropukuria graft case with reviewing the relevant papers made available during inquiry," a competent source told UNB Tuesday afternoon.

"The IO will now fix as to what papers need to be seized and which individuals to be questioned in this regard," the source added.

Earlier Monday, the Commission appointed Monirul as the investigation officer to investigate the case.

ACC assistant director Samsul Alam filed the case on February 26 with Shahbagh police station against Khaleda and 15 others for causing a loss of about Tk 159 crore to the national exchequer by awarding the Baropukuria Coal Mine deal to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.

Former Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, ex-BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Jamaat chief and ex-Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and its secretary general and ex-Social Welfare Minister Ali Ahsam M Mujahid are the heavyweights among the ministers of the previous coalition government sued by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The other former ministers accused in the case are Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, Information Minister Shamsul Islam, Commerce Minister Air Vice-Marshall (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Telecommuni-cations Minister Barrister Aminul Haque and State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain.

The rest of the accused are former energy secretary Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla chairman and incumbent BISIC chairman SR Osmani, former Petrobangla director Moinul Ahsan, former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Sirajul Islam and Hossaf Group chairman Moazzem Hossain.