Mannan fails to appear before ACC

Former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan did not appear at the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday on ground of illness. “Mannan Khan appealed to the Commission at 2 pm saying he cannot be present at the ACC today because of illness and sought time to appear at the ACC at a next date,” ACC commissioner M Shahabuddin told reporters at his office Thursday afternoon. He said that considering the former state minister’s plea, the Commission will ask him to be present in person at the ACC head office next week. Replying to a question, the ACC commissioner said nobody has any scope to disregard the ACC’s call, but it has given an option legally to Mannan Khan. On February 16, the ACC sent a notice, signed by its deputy director Nasir Uddin, to Mannan Khan asking him to be present at the Commission head office at 11 am on February 20. Earlier, on January 12, the ACC launched probes into the allegations of unusual wealth accumulation by seven politicians, including Abdul Mannan Khan. As per the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission for the last 10th parliamentary polls, the wealth of former state minister Mannan Khan increased to Tk 11 crore in last five years while his wealth was only Tk 10.33 lakh in 2008, according to a news agency.