ACC begins serving notices to 12 graft suspects
Friday, 6 July 2007
The Anti-Corruption Commi-ssion (ACC) Thursday began serving notices to 12 corrupt suspects, mostly politicians like Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Lutfozzaman Babar, to submit their wealth statements within seven working days.
"We already delivered notices Thursday to six of the 12 individuals directing them to submit wealth statements within seven working days. Hopefully, the remaining six persons will be served notices Sunday", a competent ACC source told the UNB requesting anonymity.
Out of six, five notices were delivered to the inspector general of prisons for him to forward the summons to Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, former minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, former State Minister for Power Rafiqul Islam and collective bargaining agent (CBA) leader Abul Kalam Azad. The notice of Masudur Rahman, son of Awami League leader Maqbul Hossain, was delivered to his home address.
The other six corrupt suspects who are likely to be served notices Sunday are Barisal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar (BNP), former State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman Patal (BNP), former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's assignment officer Firoj Mahmud Iqbal, former AL lawmaker Noor-E-Alam Chow-dhury, former chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah's (AL) son Moeed Abdullah and former State Minister Kamrul Islam's son Tanvirul Islam.
Of the above named individuals, Sarwar and Patal are in jail.
The notices have been issued with summons under sections 26 (1) of the ACC Act, 2004 and section 17 of the ACC Rules, 2007. Under these provisions, the physical appearance of the summoned individuals is not mandatory.
The seven-working day deadline will begin after receiving the notices. Upon application from the individuals, the Commission, subject to valid reasons, may allow them another seven working days to submit wealth statements.
Meanwhile, the ACC, as of on the day, could not complete delivering notices to 17 corrupt suspects of the second list, including former ministers Moudud Ahmed and Aminul Haque.
The ACC Tuesday started delivering notices to these individuals, directing them to submit their wealth statements within seven working days.
"Yes, we could not deliver notices to former minister Aminul Haque and former commerce adviser Barkatullah Bulu, as none were available on their given addresses for receiving the notices for them", a well-placed source said.
Attempts were made to deliver the notices at six addresses and the ACC is yet to find Bulu’s current address, the source said.
"If we cannot find his updated address the notice will be sent to his ancestral address in Noakhali", the source added.
Aminul's notice will be sent to his new address very soon.
"We already delivered notices Thursday to six of the 12 individuals directing them to submit wealth statements within seven working days. Hopefully, the remaining six persons will be served notices Sunday", a competent ACC source told the UNB requesting anonymity.
Out of six, five notices were delivered to the inspector general of prisons for him to forward the summons to Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, former minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, former State Minister for Power Rafiqul Islam and collective bargaining agent (CBA) leader Abul Kalam Azad. The notice of Masudur Rahman, son of Awami League leader Maqbul Hossain, was delivered to his home address.
The other six corrupt suspects who are likely to be served notices Sunday are Barisal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar (BNP), former State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman Patal (BNP), former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's assignment officer Firoj Mahmud Iqbal, former AL lawmaker Noor-E-Alam Chow-dhury, former chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah's (AL) son Moeed Abdullah and former State Minister Kamrul Islam's son Tanvirul Islam.
Of the above named individuals, Sarwar and Patal are in jail.
The notices have been issued with summons under sections 26 (1) of the ACC Act, 2004 and section 17 of the ACC Rules, 2007. Under these provisions, the physical appearance of the summoned individuals is not mandatory.
The seven-working day deadline will begin after receiving the notices. Upon application from the individuals, the Commission, subject to valid reasons, may allow them another seven working days to submit wealth statements.
Meanwhile, the ACC, as of on the day, could not complete delivering notices to 17 corrupt suspects of the second list, including former ministers Moudud Ahmed and Aminul Haque.
The ACC Tuesday started delivering notices to these individuals, directing them to submit their wealth statements within seven working days.
"Yes, we could not deliver notices to former minister Aminul Haque and former commerce adviser Barkatullah Bulu, as none were available on their given addresses for receiving the notices for them", a well-placed source said.
Attempts were made to deliver the notices at six addresses and the ACC is yet to find Bulu’s current address, the source said.
"If we cannot find his updated address the notice will be sent to his ancestral address in Noakhali", the source added.
Aminul's notice will be sent to his new address very soon.