'Appellate Division verdict' on AL chief proves ACC's point
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
The Anti-corruption Commi-ssion (ACC) Monday said the Appellate Division verdict staying the High Court's earlier order and asking former premier Sheikh Hasina to submit her wealth statement within seven working days proves that the issuance of notice to her by the ACC was right, reports UNB.
"The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has given the verdict…The message is clear. The notice issued by the ACC (to Hasina) was right," ACC secretary Mokhles ur Rahman said in the ACC's regular briefing in the afternoon.Responding to a question, he said Hasina would have to submit her wealth statement within seven working days, beginning from Monday. Asked if the ACC would file a case if the Awami League President does not submit the statement within the stipulated time, Mokhles said, "I don't want to speak about the future." He said: "It has been proved following the verdict that the ACC activities were lawful."
Having been requested by the lawyers, the court has allowed seven days to submit the wealth statement, he added. To another questioner, the ACC secretary said, "We're yet to get the copy of the verdict. But, as far as I know the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court stayed the order, which means the ACC activities stand."
To a query about another former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her son BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, he said inquiry into the wealth statement submitted by her is going on while the Commission is scrutinising the inquiry report of Tarique's wealth statement.
Asked if nothing is found how the ACC would make the nation believe that Tarique did not commit any corruption, Mokhles said, "No conclusion has been drawn yet."
About bringing back the siphoned off money, he said the government would have to think about money laundering and treaties with different countries to bring back the money. "Bangladesh Bank is unable to do it."
He said the Commission has decided to amend the notice form being used to direct corruption suspects to submit wealth statement.
"From now on 'your wife/husband' will be used instead of currently used only 'your wife', as there has been a problem in asking for the wealth statements of females."
Giving an account of the activities of the reconstituted Commission in the last six months, the ACC secretary said so far the ACC has issued notices to 215 corruption suspects directing them to submit their wealth statements.
Of them, Mokhles said, 192 individuals have already complied with the Commission directive and there is still time left for 18 of them to submit their wealth statements. Cases have been filed against five of them for non-compliance, he added.In the last six months, he said, the Commission filed 54 first information reports, of which 12 have been disposed of while recording of testimony in 16 cases is going on. Some 26 cases are now under investigation.
"The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has given the verdict…The message is clear. The notice issued by the ACC (to Hasina) was right," ACC secretary Mokhles ur Rahman said in the ACC's regular briefing in the afternoon.Responding to a question, he said Hasina would have to submit her wealth statement within seven working days, beginning from Monday. Asked if the ACC would file a case if the Awami League President does not submit the statement within the stipulated time, Mokhles said, "I don't want to speak about the future." He said: "It has been proved following the verdict that the ACC activities were lawful."
Having been requested by the lawyers, the court has allowed seven days to submit the wealth statement, he added. To another questioner, the ACC secretary said, "We're yet to get the copy of the verdict. But, as far as I know the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court stayed the order, which means the ACC activities stand."
To a query about another former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her son BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, he said inquiry into the wealth statement submitted by her is going on while the Commission is scrutinising the inquiry report of Tarique's wealth statement.
Asked if nothing is found how the ACC would make the nation believe that Tarique did not commit any corruption, Mokhles said, "No conclusion has been drawn yet."
About bringing back the siphoned off money, he said the government would have to think about money laundering and treaties with different countries to bring back the money. "Bangladesh Bank is unable to do it."
He said the Commission has decided to amend the notice form being used to direct corruption suspects to submit wealth statement.
"From now on 'your wife/husband' will be used instead of currently used only 'your wife', as there has been a problem in asking for the wealth statements of females."
Giving an account of the activities of the reconstituted Commission in the last six months, the ACC secretary said so far the ACC has issued notices to 215 corruption suspects directing them to submit their wealth statements.
Of them, Mokhles said, 192 individuals have already complied with the Commission directive and there is still time left for 18 of them to submit their wealth statements. Cases have been filed against five of them for non-compliance, he added.In the last six months, he said, the Commission filed 54 first information reports, of which 12 have been disposed of while recording of testimony in 16 cases is going on. Some 26 cases are now under investigation.