ACC begins investigations against Khaleda, Hasina

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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has begun investigations into the graft cases filed against detained former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina Monday, reports UNB.
"There are two months for investigations. The IOs (investigating officers) have been appointed and the investigations have begun," the ACC Secretary Mokhles- ur-Rahman said in the Commission's regular briefing Monday afternoon.
On Sunday night, the ACC filed a graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her youngest son Arafat Rahman and 11 others with Tejgaon police station. And she was arrested Monday morning following the case.
Earlier Sunday, the anti-graft watchdog filed a Tk 30 million (3 crore) corruption case against the detained Awami League (AL) chief Hasina. A first information report (FIR) was filed against her with the same police station.
ACC Deputy Director Jahirul Huda has been made the IO in the case against Khaleda Zia while the name of the IO of Hasina's case could not be known.
According to sources, although the ACC secretary said the IOs have been appointed for both the cases, the IO in Hasina's case has not been appointed as of 5:20pm Monday. "The file sent for the Commission's approval is yet to come back," said a source.
In reply to a volley of questions as to when the inquiry into the allegations against both the former PMs began, when the Commission received the inquiry reports and from whom the Commission has received the complaints, the ACC secretary refrained from giving a clear answer.
"Wealth statements have been sought before and the newspapers carried the details. The primary inquiries have been done by the Commission as the complainants are the ACC deputy directors," he said.
Mokhles said the Commission approvals were needed before filing FIRs and submitting charge sheets. "The approvals have been given on behalf of the Commission."
He said if it was found in the investigations that someone was not involved, his/her name would be eliminated at the time of submitting the charge sheet. "As the FIRs have been filed by the Commission, the ACC is the complainants," the ACC secretary said.

About the source of information on the basis of which the inquiries against Khaleda and Hasina have been done, he said it might be a written or an oral one or it might be from other organisations.
Mokhles said the Commission today (Monday) received the wealth statement of Hasina through prison authorities. He also said AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil and former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo submitted their wealth statements Sunday through the jail authorities.