The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found illegal wealth worth around Tk 2.7 billion in the name of Enamul Haque MP.
ACC deputy director (DD) Jatan Kumer Roy submitted his probe report to the commission on Tuesday, seeking approval for filing case against the ruling party lawmaker from Rajshahi.
Earlier on September 08, the ACC DD questioned Enamul from 9am to 10:30am.
Enamul Haque came under ACC scanner following submission of his wealth statement to the Election Commission for contesting the January 5 national elections. The statement showed an unusual hike in his wealth during the past five years.
The lawmaker claimed that he had accumulated wealth from his businesses, and he did not have any illegal wealth.
Enamul's annual income was Tk 2 million from his salary and allowances in 2008, which in 2013 reached nearly Tk 5 million from agriculture, rented properties and other businesses. His wife owned Tk 83 million in movable property in 2013, up from Tk 28 million in 2008, according to the affidavits.
He is the owner of Ena Group, which has 10 sister concerns, including a real estate company named Ena Properties Ltd. The realtor has finished at least 31 multi-storey building projects, and is implementing 17 more projects in Dhaka and outside the capital.
During the inquiry, ACC did not find Enamul's legal source of income for operating the housing business. Therefore, it questioned him for having his statements in this regard, sources said.
Enamul was criticised soon after the city development authorities awarded him contract for construction of apartments at Uttara in the capital for middle-income people, violating the Representation of the People's Order (RPO).
As per the RPO, a sitting MP cannot do business with the government because of conflict of interests. Anyone who violates the provision would be disqualified to continue as a lawmaker.
After being elected as a lawmaker in the Awami League's previous term in 2008, Enamul came under media spotlight, as he violated the same RPO provision. Ena Properties in 2009 signed a deal with the Rajshahi City Corporation for constructing City Centre on RCC land.
ACC began its inquiry into Enamul's alleged illegal wealth in this January, along with six other politicians. The anti-graft body found primary evidence of accumulation of illegal wealth by the lawmaker, as the inquiry continued.
In March it asked Enamul and his wife Tahura Haque to submit furnished wealth statement within seven days. However, Enamul ignored the notice, and sought extension of time. ACC later granted him time until March 31. But the lawmaker failed to file the statement.
According to the ACC Act 2004, the commission can sue someone, if s/he ignores its notice. The offender, in such case, will be liable to serve up to three years in jail.
Meanwhile, ACC summoned three former chairmen of National Housing Authority (NHA) and some other officials. ACC on Tuesday sent the notice to their addresses, asking them to appear before its head-office on September 22.
The anti-graft body summoned former NHA chairmen M Golam Nabi, Abdul Bari Khan and ATM Ataur Rahman.
The list also includes NHA former members Khalekuzzaman and Ikramuzzaman, and former joint secretary of housing and public works ministry Bijon Kanti Sarkar.
The ministry's former senior assistant secretary Benjamin Haydar, supervising engineer Sultan Ahmed, former deputy director Azharul Haque, assistant accountant Matiar Rahman and cashier Mansur Alam were also summoned.
Earlier on Sunday, a notice was sent to former state minister for housing and public works Alamgir Kabir and three others to be present at the ACC office on September 21.
ACC sources said in between June 16, 2002 and October 10, 2006, the former state minister sent a demi-official (DO) letter without any application to the then prime minister for setting up a residential area for cultural personalities.
On March 6 this year, ACC deputy director Jatan Kumar Roy filed a case with Shahbag Police Station in this connection.
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