HC rules on dropping AL leader’s name from graft investigation

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The High Court (HC) on Monday issued a rule questioning why dropping the name of M Shibly Sadik, general secretary of Tangail’s Delduar upazila Awami League, from the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) inquiry about embezzling money from the Test Relief (TR) and Kabikha project fund should not be declared illegal, reports UNB.

A HC bench of justice M Nazrul Islam Talukder and KM Zahid Sarwar issued the rule during a hearing on writ petition filed in this regard.

The court asked six people including the ACC chairman, two commissioners, and Shibly Sadik and the investigation officer of the commission, to reply the rule.

Earlier on Sunday, Supreme Court lawyer M Ashraful Islam filed a writ petition at the High Court challenging the exclusion of Shibly Sadik from the ACC's inquiry.

Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub presented the petitioner’s side during the hearing while barrister Sazzad Hossain appeared for ACC.

ACC started an investigation about AL leader Shibly on charges of embezzling Tk 2.7 million from Test Relief (TR) and Kabikha project based on reports in the media in 2017.

On 25 January, 2018, ACC dropped Shibly’s name from charges after finding no evidence and concluded the investigation.

Lawyer M Ashraful Islam said ACC dropped the investigation without inquiring how the government fund allocated for the TR-Kabikha project got deposited in Shibly’s personal bank account.

On 23 June, the lawyer also appealed to the ACC chairman to investigate many other complaints of corruption and irregularities against the Tangail AL leader.