The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against five people, including BNP Standing Committee member and former minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and his wife, on the charge of plot forgery and construction of Hotel Sarina in the capital's Banani without approved design.
Deputy Director of ACC's Integrated District Office Dhaka-1 Salina Akhtar lodged the case on Monday.
The accused are Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, his wife Tahera Khasru Alam, Hotel Sarina Chairman Golam Sarwar and Managing Director Sabera Sarwar (Nina), and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha's (RAJUK) building inspector (Design Approval Branch) Aurangzeb Nannu.
The accused have been charged under sections 409/109/467/468/471/420 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
According to the case statement, the accused in collusion with each other constructed a 22-storey building on plot number 27 on road 17 in Banani and took hold of most of the floors. Violating the plan of RAJUk, they also constructed another 21-storey building instead of a 15-storey one on the adjacent plot number 25, and have been using both the buildings as Hotel Sarina.
During a press briefing on Monday, ACC Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said after completion of an inquiry, the ACC filed the case against the five for their alleged involvement in the fraud.
In reply to a question whether the lawsuit is "politically motivated" ahead of the national elections, he said the ACC always investigates or files cases based on specific facts and charges without taking into consideration a person's political affiliation or religious and racial backgrounds.
The company named Hotel Sarina Ltd (Registration No.-3517/99) received registration from the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) on December 19, 1999.
sajibur@gmail.com