The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to press charges against five individuals, including two former MPs and two forest conservators, in four graft cases.

ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told the Commission's regular briefing that the anti-graft watchdog yesterday approved the submission of charge sheets against five persons in four cases.

Former Awami League MP Ali Reza Raju will be charge-sheeted in the case filed on January 3 for acquiring wealth worth Tk 38.08 lakh beyond his known sources of income and concealment of information of assets worth Tk 8.33 lakh.

The ACC will submit charge sheet in a case filed on February 17 against former BNP MP Shahidul Alam Talukder for misappropriating relief clothes.

Charge sheet will be filed in another case filed against deputy forest conservator Abu Hanif Patwary and his wife Dilruba Perveen for acquiring wealth worth Tk 29.73 lakh that do not match their known sources of income. Shamsul Azam, another forest conservator, will be charge sheeted in a case filed for acquiring wealth worth Tk 29.54 lakh beyond his known sources of income and concealment of information of wealth worth Tk 7.07 lakh.

Hanif told the briefing that the Commission has approved the filing of cases against AL presidium member Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir's children Joya Alamgir and Jalal Alamgir for not submitting their wealth statements in due time.

He also said the ACC approved the issuance of notices to Rafiqul Islam, principal appraiser, Chittagong Customs House, Ibrahim Khalil, ex-director general of Agriculture Extension Department, and Chittagong City Corporation chief engineer Mokhter Alam directing them to submit their wealth statements.

Responding to a question about the Truth Commission that was approved by the Government on Sunday, the director general said that so far there is no conflict between the proposed Truth Commission and the ACC.

He said what has been mentioned is that the cases the verdicts of which have already been delivered would be out of the Truth Commission.

Hanif said nothing could be clearly said until the ACC receives the approved draft of the Truth Commission.

Replying to a question, he said the Commission is yet to discuss or decide about filing cases against former Prime Ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina on the basis of their wealth statements submitted to the Commission.

In reply to a question about filing graft cases involving negligible amounts, Hanif said corruption is corruption and the amount is not the main aspect for the Commission.