ACC yet to file FIR against Tarique
Friday, 17 August 2007
About three weeks have passed since submission of the inquiry report recommending filing of FIR against detained BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, but the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is yet to take any decision about it, reports UNB.
ACC Deputy Director Zahirul Huda on July 25 submitted the inquiry report to the Commission with the recommendation of filing a first information report (FIR) against Tarique Rahman for acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income and concealing information, a competent source told the news agency.
"It's so unfamiliar for the reconstituted Commission taking so long time to take a decision. In the cases of other corrupt suspects, the Commission took much less time. Maybe, as it is a sensitive case, it (ACC) is scrutinising thoroughly," he said Thursday afternoon.
Tarique, having been directed, submitted his wealth statement to the ACC on June 10.
On the issue of taking a long time for a decision, ACC secretary Mokhles ur Rahman said that as the case is sensitive, the Commission has to see everything so that if there is no mistake prior to file a case.
For the delay, he also blamed number of correspondences with Tarique because of complications relating to land registrations.
"When an inquiry officer submits the report, a case is not filed instantly. What has happened in this case: it took some time for the correspondences seeking clarifications about land registrations. Furthermore, since it's a sensitive case it has to be seen that there is no mistake before filing case," Mokhles said in the Commission's regular briefing.
To a query, he said the inquiry into the wealth statement submitted by former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on August 6 began Tuesday (August 14).
In reply to a query, the ACC secretary said that only 2 per cent of the complaints received by the Commission from general people are related to corruption. "Of the letters received so far, only two per cent are related to us. This number will reduce further after inquiries. If the other agencies work properly these complaints will not come here."
About the wealth statement of former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member ATM Sarwar Hossain, he said the issuance of the letter on August 2 was a fault and the effectiveness of the letter has been cancelled - meaning his deadline had already expired.
Responding to a correspondent, he said ACC chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury is going to write to the Cabinet Secretary so that the wealth statement of government employees is updated every year. "It's already in the service rules…The chairman is just going to remind so that it is obeyed."
In reply to another query, Mokhles said if the proposed organogramme is approved in the National Implementation Committee on Administrative Reforms (NICAR) on August 19, all the 22 zonal offices would be functional.
He also informed that a FIR was filed Thursday with Ramna police station against former minister Mirza Abbas and his wife for acquiring wealth without known sources of income.
The ACC secretary said Noakhali district and sessions judge AFM Mostafa, a member of the Judicial Services, has been posted to the Commission as director general.
ACC Deputy Director Zahirul Huda on July 25 submitted the inquiry report to the Commission with the recommendation of filing a first information report (FIR) against Tarique Rahman for acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income and concealing information, a competent source told the news agency.
"It's so unfamiliar for the reconstituted Commission taking so long time to take a decision. In the cases of other corrupt suspects, the Commission took much less time. Maybe, as it is a sensitive case, it (ACC) is scrutinising thoroughly," he said Thursday afternoon.
Tarique, having been directed, submitted his wealth statement to the ACC on June 10.
On the issue of taking a long time for a decision, ACC secretary Mokhles ur Rahman said that as the case is sensitive, the Commission has to see everything so that if there is no mistake prior to file a case.
For the delay, he also blamed number of correspondences with Tarique because of complications relating to land registrations.
"When an inquiry officer submits the report, a case is not filed instantly. What has happened in this case: it took some time for the correspondences seeking clarifications about land registrations. Furthermore, since it's a sensitive case it has to be seen that there is no mistake before filing case," Mokhles said in the Commission's regular briefing.
To a query, he said the inquiry into the wealth statement submitted by former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on August 6 began Tuesday (August 14).
In reply to a query, the ACC secretary said that only 2 per cent of the complaints received by the Commission from general people are related to corruption. "Of the letters received so far, only two per cent are related to us. This number will reduce further after inquiries. If the other agencies work properly these complaints will not come here."
About the wealth statement of former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member ATM Sarwar Hossain, he said the issuance of the letter on August 2 was a fault and the effectiveness of the letter has been cancelled - meaning his deadline had already expired.
Responding to a correspondent, he said ACC chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury is going to write to the Cabinet Secretary so that the wealth statement of government employees is updated every year. "It's already in the service rules…The chairman is just going to remind so that it is obeyed."
In reply to another query, Mokhles said if the proposed organogramme is approved in the National Implementation Committee on Administrative Reforms (NICAR) on August 19, all the 22 zonal offices would be functional.
He also informed that a FIR was filed Thursday with Ramna police station against former minister Mirza Abbas and his wife for acquiring wealth without known sources of income.
The ACC secretary said Noakhali district and sessions judge AFM Mostafa, a member of the Judicial Services, has been posted to the Commission as director general.