A Dhaka court has ordered freezing 306 bank and beneficiary owner (BO) accounts of three corporates, including Summit Group, over corruption allegations.
The court, at the first go, ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to freeze 191 bank accounts of Mohammed Aziz Khan, Chairman of Summit Group, and his family members.
Aziz Khan, also brother of former Awami League lawmaker and minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, and his family members deposited Tk 417.4 million in these accounts.
Judge of the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka Md Zakir Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the ACC.
Earlier in the day, ACC Deputy Director Md Alamgir Hossain, who is leading the inquiry team, submitted an application to the court for its order for freeze on the accounts.
ACC Public Prosecutor Md Rezaul Karim moved the application on behalf of the anti-graft body. ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) and spokesperson Mohammad Akhtarul Islam confirmed the court orders to the FE.
"During the investigation, information about savings, FDR and other accounts in their names was dug out," the official stated in the application.
"There is a huge amount of money deposited in these accounts. The fact that the amount of money mentioned in the accounts is unusual and suspicious," he said.
On October 7 last year, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) instructed banks to freeze accounts of Muhammed Aziz Khan, his brothers, and other family members.
The same court ordered the ACC to freeze 73 bank accounts owned by Nabil Group of Industries Chairman Md Aminul Islam and his family members. These accounts hold a total of Tk 989.4 million. Also, the court ordered attaching about 59 acres of land property in Paba upazila in Rajshahi.
In another order, the court asked for freezing 42 BO accounts owned by Zainul Haque Sikder, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Bank Limited, and his family members.
According to the ACC petition, most of the Sikder family members are now abroad and they are trying to sell or transfer the shares of their part.
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