ACC to investigate graft allegations against all
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) will certainly look into the corruption allegations against all, and the so-called reformists too would be issued with notices in phases, asking them to submit their wealth statements, reports UNB.
"Most certainly… It'll be looked into as to who did what in the past and how. Because conducting postmortem on graft allegations is the task of the ACC. It's a continuous process," ACC Secretary Mokhles-ur-Rahman said in the Commission's regular briefing while replying to a question regarding its actions towards the "pro-reform" political leaders.
Reminded that the ACC is not issuing notices to those reformists, against many of whom the dissolved Bureau of Anti-corruption filed cases, he said, "Everyone will be issued with notices in phases."
Replying to another query he said, provided the proof of allegations the accused individuals would be directed to submit their wealth statements not as "reformist corrupts" but as "corrupt suspects".
Sought comments on the remarks, made by Communications Adviser on the reformists, Mokhles said, "The Adviser is much above me in position. Therefore, I have no comment on his comments."
He, however, said, "It's not a matter for the ACC to consider who is reformist and who is not… I have no such list. The Commission is working independently."
In this context, he mentioned the issue of the Commission's manpower, for lack of which its activities are being hindered.
Asked what information the Commission has about the wealth of two former prime ministers -- Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina -- based on which they were issued with notices to provide wealth statements, the ACC secretary said, "Let's have the wealth statements first… The work will begin after receiving the statements."
Asked whether there was no primary inquiry into their wealth before issuing them with notices as corrupt suspects, he said, "There are corruption cases against them, filed by the Bureau of Anti-corruption."
When reminded that there is no case against Khaleda Zia, Mokhles said, the cases have been quashed, and the ACC is looking into the legal aspects of quashing of the cases.
As the reporters wanted to know if the ACC would try to have the cases against the VIPs disposed of quickly in the higher court, he said, the Commission's panel of lawyers would look into the matter.
On the controversy about the notice issued to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, directing her to submit wealth statement, the ACC secretary said, there has been an amicable settlement of the issue.
Insisted to explain, he said, "She (Hasina) said that the notice was full of mistakes, while we said the notice was alright. She received the notice on July 19."
"She received the same notice. Her time would start from July 20, and she will have seven working days to comply with the directive," he told a questioner.
Asked if the ACC would change the format of the notice in light of her (Hasina's) letter, Mokhles said, the Comission would consider changing the format, so that nobody has the opportunity to seek explanation.
Asked if the Commission's works on prevention has been stopped, he said, the lists of the corruption prevention committees from all the 64 districts and 480 upazilas have not come yet to the ACC.
"The ACC chairman himself is looking into the issue of vigilance. The task of prevention is to create awareness, and the committees will raise the awareness."
Mokhles said, the Commission approved the submission of charge sheets against Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and former BNP MP Harun-ar-Rashid.
He said, the process to submit charge sheets against former BNP minister Mirza Abbas and ex-Awami League MP Lotus Kamal is also underway.
He informed that now there are 5,050 under-trial cases, filed by the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-corruption, and investigations into 2,908 cases inherited from the bureau are pending, while there are 7,342 complains from the bureau. "The task of scrutinising many complains is going on."
"Most certainly… It'll be looked into as to who did what in the past and how. Because conducting postmortem on graft allegations is the task of the ACC. It's a continuous process," ACC Secretary Mokhles-ur-Rahman said in the Commission's regular briefing while replying to a question regarding its actions towards the "pro-reform" political leaders.
Reminded that the ACC is not issuing notices to those reformists, against many of whom the dissolved Bureau of Anti-corruption filed cases, he said, "Everyone will be issued with notices in phases."
Replying to another query he said, provided the proof of allegations the accused individuals would be directed to submit their wealth statements not as "reformist corrupts" but as "corrupt suspects".
Sought comments on the remarks, made by Communications Adviser on the reformists, Mokhles said, "The Adviser is much above me in position. Therefore, I have no comment on his comments."
He, however, said, "It's not a matter for the ACC to consider who is reformist and who is not… I have no such list. The Commission is working independently."
In this context, he mentioned the issue of the Commission's manpower, for lack of which its activities are being hindered.
Asked what information the Commission has about the wealth of two former prime ministers -- Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina -- based on which they were issued with notices to provide wealth statements, the ACC secretary said, "Let's have the wealth statements first… The work will begin after receiving the statements."
Asked whether there was no primary inquiry into their wealth before issuing them with notices as corrupt suspects, he said, "There are corruption cases against them, filed by the Bureau of Anti-corruption."
When reminded that there is no case against Khaleda Zia, Mokhles said, the cases have been quashed, and the ACC is looking into the legal aspects of quashing of the cases.
As the reporters wanted to know if the ACC would try to have the cases against the VIPs disposed of quickly in the higher court, he said, the Commission's panel of lawyers would look into the matter.
On the controversy about the notice issued to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, directing her to submit wealth statement, the ACC secretary said, there has been an amicable settlement of the issue.
Insisted to explain, he said, "She (Hasina) said that the notice was full of mistakes, while we said the notice was alright. She received the notice on July 19."
"She received the same notice. Her time would start from July 20, and she will have seven working days to comply with the directive," he told a questioner.
Asked if the ACC would change the format of the notice in light of her (Hasina's) letter, Mokhles said, the Comission would consider changing the format, so that nobody has the opportunity to seek explanation.
Asked if the Commission's works on prevention has been stopped, he said, the lists of the corruption prevention committees from all the 64 districts and 480 upazilas have not come yet to the ACC.
"The ACC chairman himself is looking into the issue of vigilance. The task of prevention is to create awareness, and the committees will raise the awareness."
Mokhles said, the Commission approved the submission of charge sheets against Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and former BNP MP Harun-ar-Rashid.
He said, the process to submit charge sheets against former BNP minister Mirza Abbas and ex-Awami League MP Lotus Kamal is also underway.
He informed that now there are 5,050 under-trial cases, filed by the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-corruption, and investigations into 2,908 cases inherited from the bureau are pending, while there are 7,342 complains from the bureau. "The task of scrutinising many complains is going on."