The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Amid the High Court orders staying proceedings of some high profile graft cases on grounds of not following law and rules properly, the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday said it had filed the cases and submitted charge sheets in accordance with the prescribed law and rules.

The anti-graft watchdog, however, said if the court finally decides that the procedures were not correct, the ACC would take lesson from that.

The High Court recently stayed proceedings of some graft cases including the cases relating to barge-mounted power plant, Niko and Gatco deals for not properly following the law and rules. It also issued rules asking the ACC to explain why those cases should not be quashed.

"The ACC still thinks the cases were filed and charge sheets submitted in accordance with the prescribed law and rules," ACC director general (admin) Col. Hanif Iqbal said at regular briefing of the Commission in response to a query about the recent High Court orders.

He said the court has viewed things from their point of views and sought to know certain things. "We will let the court know what they wanted to know."

If even after that the court thinks that the procedures were wrong, the Commission would learn from that, Hanif said.

Asked if the ACC's incompetence has been proved by the High Court orders, he said it has not yet been proved.

Replying to a query about release of individuals on bail in ACC cases, the director general said that in some cases, the Commission was not made party and before the Commission's application to be a party arrived in court those individuals got released.

On looking into wealth statements submitted with the Election Commission by the candidates of upcoming city corporation and municipality elections, he said those statements have been submitted to the EC and the EC would work as per the rules.

"We'll have to work as per law. If anything falls within the purview of ACC law and schedule, the ACC will act (accordingly)," Hanif said.

Responding to a question, he said the EC has not yet asked the ACC to do anything about it.

Asked if the Commission would do anything voluntarily about the statements submitted with the EC, the ACC spokesperson said it is the jurisdiction of the Commission and "I will raise this before it."