ACC sues police inspector, wife, mother-in-law on charges of amassing 'illegal wealth'
A case has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) integrated district office in Pirojpur against a police inspector of Feni for allegedly acquiring illegal wealth of Tk 180 million.
The official, Syed Abdullah, a former officer-in-charge (OC) of Mathbaria police station in Pirojpur, is now the inspector of crime section of Feni police superintendent (SP) office.
His wife, Farhana Akhter, and mother-in-law, Karima Khatun, have also been implicated in the case lodged on Thursday by the ACC's assistant director, Md Mustafiz.
According to the case statement, Syed Abdullah, a resident of Lahuria Talukderpara village of Lohagara in Narail, made two National Identity (NID) cards for his wife, Farhana Akhter, to carry out forgery.
He bought savings certificates worth Tk 100 million in her name using those NIDs. With purchasing a car at Tk 3.1 million, she has more than Tk 17.6 million-deposits [Tk 176, 95,854] in her different bank accounts.
Apart from this, two plots were purchased in Syed Abdullah’s name while two residential flats and a commercial space in Farhana’s name. A flat was purchased in Karima Khatun’s name, paying money from the bank account of her daughter, Farhana Akhter. The three accused acquired both tangible and intangible assets of more than Tk 181.5 million [Tk 181,560,286] in total, the case statement added.
It is alleged in the lawsuit that Syed Abdullah would use his police identity to make money by illegal means -- bribe, corruption. Later he would transfer the illegal incomes to his wife and mother-in-law. However, all moveable and immovable assets acquired illegally have been seized at the court’s order.
Prothom Alo couldn’t reach Syed Abdullah as he didn’t pick up the phone calls.
It is learnt that Syed Abdullah joined the police service in 1991 as sub-inspector (SI) and was promoted to inspector in 2007. He discharged the duties of officer-in-charge with Mathbaria police station between 29 March in 2019 and 24 March in 2020. An allegation over making huge assets misusing his power was sent to Barishal in 2020 from the ACC’s headquarters. Later Md Mustafiz, the assistant director of ACC at the integrated district office in Pirojpur, started investigating into the allegation.
Md Mustafiz said as the allegation of acquiring Tk 180.5 million was found against Syed Abdullah and his mother-in-law, a case has been filed under the section 27 (1) of Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, section 420/109 of Penal Code 1860, section 5 (2) of Corruption Prevention Act 1947 and sections 4 (2), 4 (3) of Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012.
He said all moveable and immovable assets, acquired illegally by Syed Abdullah, have been confiscated at the order of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court issued on 28 May. Besides, the tax files of Syed Abdullah and his wife were seized.