ACC probing Padma Bridge irregularities

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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is now conducting inquiry into alleged irregularities in the Padma Bridge Project, reports BSS. "We are currently conducting two separate inquiries into alleged irregularities in Padma Bridge Project," ACC Director General (admin and establishment) and spokesman Farrukh Ahmed said Thursday at a monthly press briefing at the ACC headquarters. "The commission has already sent letters to the World Bank seeking information about the irregularities. But, we are yet to get any response from them," he said while replying to a query. A total of 2287 graft cases filed during the period of ACC and now defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAC) are now under trials across the country and, of those, the trials of 707 cases are pending with the High Curt, ACC DG (legal and prosecution) Kamrul Hossain Molla said. He said, "A total of 180 graft cases, filed during the period of the ACC, were disposed of this year. Accused of 78 cases were punished while 102 cases acquitted." Punishments have been awarded to the accused in 206 graft cases and accused in remaining 214 cases were acquitted of the charges out of 420 lawsuits disposed of this year but filed during the period of BAC, Kamrul informed. The commission last month gave the nod to file 24 graft cases against 82 people on charges of acquiring illegal wealth, hiding information about assets, money laundering and forgery against politicians, government and non-government service holders, businessmen and public representatives. The ACC last month approved submission of chargesheets in 50 graft cases against 136 people including 67 government officials, seven non-government officials, four public representatives and 58 others from different professions. It also endorsed submission of final reports in 19 cases. The ACC accepted 91 allegations of corruption out of 683 submitted to it last month and sent seven allegations to the authorities concerned including ministries with requests to take legal actions. It also decided to conduct inquiry into 15 reports of corruption out of 27 published in different dailies.