The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday approved charge sheets for six cases against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and 21 others, accusing them of illegally acquiring a 60-katha plot in Purbachal by misusing state power.
According to the charge sheets, Sheikh Hasina was found guilty in all six cases of misusing state power, while her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed (Putul), niece Azmina Siddiq, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq were also found guilty.
Director General (Prevention) and ACC spokesperson Akhtar Hossain stated this during a media briefing at the ACC headquarters in the capital’s Segunbagicha.
Akhtar Hossain said that Sheikh Hasina and her family members concealed information about their properties in the capital and illegally obtained a 60-katha land allotment in the diplomatic zone from the Capital Development Authority, bypassing land allotment rules and misusing state power.
He went on to say that there was proof that documents pertaining to the allocation had been destroyed.
The charge sheets in the cases were prepared in less than two months, as the cases were initially filed on January 12, 13, and 14.
The charge sheet also includes former state minister for Housing and Public Works, Sharif Ahmed, in the list of the accused.
Following the approval, the ACC will submit the charge sheets to the court.
Besides Hasina and her family members, officials from the then Prime Minister’s Office, the Housing and Public Works Ministry, and the Capital Development Authority were also found guilty, according to the charge sheets.
The charge sheets state that while in office, Sheikh Hasina abused her power to facilitate the illegal allocation of six plots on Road 203 in Sector 27 of the Purbachal housing project.
Despite being ineligible for such allocations, the plots were allegedly granted to Hasina’s family members with corrupt intent.
According to ACC findings, the accused not only secured the illegal allocations but also registered the properties in their names through fraudulent transactions, resulting in significant financial losses to the government.
The commission has recommended filing charge sheets against all 47 accused, requesting their trial under corruption laws.
The ACC claimed in the report that the accused conspired to enrich themselves at the expense of state resources and manipulated government records to facilitate their misconduct.
The cases have been filed under sections 161, 163, 164, 409, and 109 of the Penal Code, along with section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
Meanwhile, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that assets belonging to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members were found in five countries, including the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US).
“A joint probe team has found assets belonging to Sheikh Hasina, her family members, and individuals and organizations related to her family in the UK, USA, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands,” he said at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Monday.
Alam said that the existence of a Russian slush fund (a reserve of money used for illicit purposes, especially political bribery) was also found in a bank in Malaysia.
He said that over TK636 crore deposited in 124 bank accounts had been attached or frozen, while a 60-katha plot of Rajuk and eight flats with 10 decimal land, worth TK8.85 crore, were also attached.
The press secretary said that six cases had been filed against Hasina and her family members on charges of plundering and forgery.
He added that the investigations were completed and charge sheets had been submitted in all six cases.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
