The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formed a three-member committee to investigate the allegations against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed of amassing huge illegal wealth after abusing power.
ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen disclosed the information while briefing reporters on Monday.
She said the ACC has decided to investigate the allegations of corruption against Benazir and his family members, and formed a committee to this end.
The committee members are ACC Deputy Director Hafizul Islam, and Assistant Directors Neamul Ahsan Gazi and Joynal Abedin.
Khorsheda said the commission meeting on 18 April approved inquiry into the allegations as per section 15 of the ACC Act.
Work started as per rules 3 of the ACC Rules 2007, she said, adding that legal action will be taken as per the law on completion of inquiry by the stipulated time.
The move comes after Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman on Sunday approached the national anti-graft watchdog seeking an investigation into allegations against Benazir of amassing huge illegal wealth, abusing power.
Barrister Suman, also a lawmaker from the Habiganj-4 constituency, submitted a petition to the ACC chairman on Sunday attaching media reports on the matter.
The national anti-graft watchdog has also been urged to run investigations against Benazir’s wife Zeeshan Mirza and two daughters – Farheen Rishta Binte Benazir and Tahseen Raisa Binte Benazir.
In another development, a writ petition has been filed with the High Court (HC) challenging ACC’s inaction in launching probe into the allegations of irregularities, corruption and abuse of power against the former IGP.
SC lawyer Salah Uddin Reagan filed the writ on Monday. The writ also sought HC directives on the defendants, including the ACC, to investigate the allegations against Benazir Ahmed.
Manoj Kumar Bhowmik, who stood for the writ petitioner, told the media that the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain might hear the writ this week.
He said the ACC can initiate inquiry on its own as per section 17(c) of the ACC Act. “But even after the publication of two investigative reports on Benazir Ahmed’s irregularities, corruption and abuse of power, the ACC hasn’t taken any initiative to this end.”
On 4 April, Reagan in a letter urged the ACC chairman to take steps to launch a probe into the matter. He sent a legal notice to the defendants on April 18 after his letter went unanswered.
In the writ, the ACC chairman, its commissioner (Investigation), commissioner (Inquiry) and secretary have been made respondents.
The writ also sought a rule asking the defendants to reply as to why their inaction and failure to implement section 17(c) of the ACC Act in the case of Benazir’s corruption should not be declared illegal.
Section 17(c) of the ACC Act stipulates that the commission may hold an inquiry into any allegation of corruption on its own motion, or on an application made by an aggrieved person or any person on his behalf.
Two reports published on the illegal assets of Benazir sparked widespread discussion throughout the country.
The former IGP built Savanna Eco-Resort and five other companies in Bairagitol village of Gopalganj with an investment of over Tk500 crore, according to a media investigation.
Benazir’s wife Zeeshan Mirza is the designated chairperson while elder daughter Farheen Rishta is the managing director and younger daughter Tahseen Raisa is a director of Savanna Eco-Resort.
The huge property seems irrational in proportion to his official earnings of Tk1.85 crore during the service spanning 34 years and seven months before retiring as the 30th IGP, sources claimed.
Investigation revealed that Benazir has huge wealth in posh areas of the capital. He owns 2 lakh shares at Le Meridien Dhaka hotel in the names of his two daughters.
In Purbachal, he built a duplex villa spread over 40 kathas of land with an estimated value of at least Tk45 crore and owns another 10 bighas of land worth Tk22 crore.
The former police boss has been implicated in an incident involving the acquisition of forest department land to obtain 25% equity shares in a luxury resort in Gazipur owned by a prominent industrial conglomerate.
Benazir invested undisclosed earnings in ventures, including Padma Bank, the Canadian University of Bangladesh, Best Western Premier and Hotel Ramada in Cox’s Bazar, Concorde Hotel and Suites in Dubai, and gold business in Singapore.
