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Download PDF The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday received former Awami League (AL) lawmaker HBM Iqbal’s wealth statement from his representative following a High Court (HC) order though the deadline for 50 graft suspects to submit their statements expired Sunday.
The HC has asked the ACC to receive the statement within 24 hours after receipt of its ruling that came in response to a writ petition filed by Dr Iqbal.
The AL leader who is on the ACC list of 50 corruption suspects has sought the court’s instructions so that his delegate could turn in the wealth accounts.
Three more ex-AL lawmakers– Mostafa Rashidi Suja, Mirza Azam and Jahangir Kabir Nanak–have filed similar petitions.
They sent their delegates to inform the anti-graft body of the legal moves yesterday. They also offered wealth statements but the commission did not receive those.
The ACC on February 19 asked those on the list to submit wealth statements within 72 hours. For the ones who are not detained, personal appearance was mandatory.
With Iqbal’s, the ACC has now received wealth statements of 34 out of the 50.
Meanwhile, 20 fact-finding teams have started scrutinising the wealth statements. They have already found some statements to be at variance with the information they have collected, said sources.
ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retired) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury said, “We will match the statements against the information we have gathered through various agencies.”
Discrepancy between the statements and the ACC’s information would mean they [the suspects] have lied and cases would be filed against them, said the newly appointed ACC boss.
ACC Director Nasrin Ara Surat Amin yesterday said, “The government will now initiate the process to seize the properties of those who did not produce statements within the time frame.”
About receiving Iqbal’s statement from his representative after the deadline, she said, “We have received his statement because of the High Court order.”
Asked why they have refused statements from representatives of the other three AL men, she said, “As of yesterday, no court order was issued. That’s why we didn’t receive theirs.”
Talking to the reporters, the ACC director said, “Then again we won’t be able to seize their properties till the petitions are resolved.”
According to the statement, Iqbal owns immovable properties to the value of Tk 17.30 crore and moveable and other properties Tk 27 crore. His liabilities stand at Tk 28 crore.
His wife Dr Momtaz Begum’s immovable assets are worth Tk 3.4 crore and moveable Tk 4.58 crore. Of his children, Moin Iqbal’s property is valued at Tk 88 lakh, Imran Iqbal’s Tk 57 lakh and daughter Nawrin Iqbal’s Tk 4.89 crore.
June 30th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
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