Cops asked to move fast with cases

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Dhaka city police have been directed to concentrate more on quick disposal of the cases in connection with luxury cars kept abandoned at different police stations.

The police high-ups made the directive as at least 60 luxury and high priced vehicles of the bigwigs, including former ministers, lawmakers, business tycoons and influential but unscrupulous people, are getting damaged due to improper maintenance.

The cases are under the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and police investigation.

The police have decided to make headway into the cases, but the commission is yet to consider the matter.

ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told The Daily Star: “The commission hasn’t considered the mater so far as the cases are sub-judicial.”

Assistant Commissioner (AC-Crime) Md Abdul Awal, who is charged with taking care of the vehicles, said: “We’ve held several meetings on the issue and decided to take measures so that the cases are resolved.”

“All the police stations concerned have been asked to pay more attention to quick disposal of these cases. The cars can’t be auctioned as long as the cases are not disposed.”

Soon after the army-backed caretaker government launched drives against corruption, as many as 49 luxury vehicles, including Pajero, SUVs, Harrier, Porsche, BMW, Toyota Prado, Lincoln, Lexus, Toyota Land Cruiser, Cadillac and Infinite were seized from the bigwigs.

The remaining 11 were found abandoned as the owners left those to dodge the eyes of the ACC and law enforcers.

The expensive vehicles have been kept at various police stations where sufficient space is lacking for their preservation.

The government formed a committee headed by Lily Biswas, the then joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), in May last year to solve the problems. However, the committee could not make headway in this regard.

Earlier, the committee asked the police stations for information about the seized cars and recommended the DMP to preserve those at a safe place. But the DMP failed to provide required space.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad told The Daily Star: “Police have nothing to do as the matter depends entirely on the court verdicts. Therefore, until disposal of the cases, we cannot do anything.”

On the committee formed to solve the issue, the IGP said: “There is nothing to say yet. Moreover, we are in trouble over maintenance of the vehicles.”

Lily Biswas, who is now the superintendent of police in Rangpur, said over phone: “We had made some recommendations over maintenance of the vehicles. But we couldn’t decide about their fate as it was a sub-judicial matter.”

Shyampur Police Station alone is keeping 11 such vehicles. The officer-in-charge (OC) said: “It’s too difficult for us to maintain the cars due to lack of sufficient space.”

“The cars are kept outside the station. If any gets damaged or lost, the police would be held responsible.”

The investigations officers of the cases say they are trying to complete their job as soon as possible.

Sources say at least 10 vehicles including two bullet-proof Mercedes Benzes of detained former Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina are kept in Dhanmondi police custody.

The owners of other cars are BNP leader and former communications minister Nazmul Huda, former premier Khaleda Zia’s parliamentary affairs adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Khaleda’s political secretary Haris Chowdhury, Swechhasebok League General Secretary Pankaj Devnath, and former lawmaker from Jamalpur Rezaul Karim Hira.

Demra police have 12 vehicles in their custody. The owners include former BNP lawmaker Salauddin Ahmad, Shyampur UP chairman Lutfor Rahman, and Ward-88 commissioner Haji Abdur Rashid.

Gulshan police are keeping eight vehicles. The owners are former state minister for communications Salauddin Ahmed, former state minister for youth and sports Fazlur Rahman Patal, Channel 1 managing director Giasuddin Al Mamun, former AL lawmaker AKM Mostofa Kamal alias Lotus Kamal, and Juba League General Secretary Mirza Azam.

Tejgaon Industrial Area police are keeping nine vehicles. The owners are former state minister Salauddin Ahmed, Partex Group chairman and former BNP lawmaker MA Hashem, former BNP MP Joinal Abedin alias VP Joinal, Orion Group Chairman Obaidul Karim and magnate Mokhlesur Rahman.

Seven vehicles are in Tejgaon police custody. The owners are ntv managing director Enayetur Rahman Bappi, Orion Group chairman Obaidul Karim, former state minister and AL leader Abul Hossain.

The vehicles of AL Joint Secretary Obaidul Quader and former MP Abdul Karim are being kept at Ramna police station, Kazi Manjurul Alam at Badda police station, Chittagong businessman Shoeb Akhter Nizam at Sutrapur police station, another car of Haris Chowdhury at Paltan police station, three cars of former state minister Patal and ward commissioner Chowdhury Alal at Khilgaon police station, three cars of former MP Sheikh Helal and Tajuddin at Mohammadpur police station, and three cars of ntv chairman Mosaddeq Ali Falu and Channel 1 MD Giasuddin Al Mamun at Cantonment police station.

Relatives of the owners initially came forward to take care of the vehicles, but withdrew from the task thanks to the uncertainty over getting those back, say sources in different police stations.

Many others also avoided the task with a view to escaping the eyes of the ACC and law enforcers.

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