Charge sheet against Tarique in a week

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In the wake of widespread criticism over the slow progress of investigation of cases against many high-profile corruption suspects, the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) is trying to speed up legal procedures.

The ACC yesterday said the charge sheet in a case filed against Tarique Rahman in connection with illegally amassing wealth could be submitted in a week. The case was filed on September 26 last year.

Even though the military-backed caretaker government after assuming power last year talked about widespread allegations of corruption by BNP-led four-party-alliance government leaders, no significant progress was made in prosecuting former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia, her sons BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko.

Meanwhile, several cases filed against former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina were moved to different trial courts and even in higher courts to get the cases disposed of quickly. This move raised questions over the impartial role of the caretaker government in dealing with corruption suspects of different political parties.

“The charge sheet in the illegal wealth case against Tarique can get approval from the commission [ACC] any moment and it can be done in this week,” said ACC Director General (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal in a routine press briefing yesterday.

“Scrutiny of the investigation report in the case against Tarique has been completed. It is at the final stage and awaits approval from the commission to be placed as a charge sheet,” Hanif added.

Sources in the ACC said the investigation report submitted to the ACC by the ACC investigation officer (IO) Assistant Director Taufiqul Islam proposed charging Tarique with earning wealth of about Tk 4.81 crore illegally.

The IO submitted the investigation report in January but two months were spent in just scrutinising the report.

The ACC filed the case against Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and mother-in-law Iqbalmand Banu in connection with amassing wealth illegally and concealing wealth information.

In the first information report (FIR), Tarique was charged with gaining wealth over Tk 4.82 crore illegally and concealing information about properties worth over Tk 4.23 crore in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC.

Tarique submitted his wealth statement to the anti-graft body on June 10 through jail authorities, claiming to have assets worth Tk 1.37 crore in his name, his wife’s and his daughter’s name.

On March 7, the joint forces arrested Tarique at their cantonment home. He has since been in jail.

His mother Khaleda Zia and younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko were also arrested on September 3 on graft charges.

There are 11 other extortion and deception charges filed against Tarique and none of them are under trial.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court rejected the bail petition of detained BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman in connection with the general diary (GD) filed with Kafrul Police Station in connection with his alleged involvement in corruption.

Our court correspondent reports: Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court passed the order after defence lawyers submitted a petition seeking bail for their client against the rejection order of the lower court.

On March 15 last year, the same court had rejected Tarique’s bail petition saying that it had no jurisdiction to grant bail to any person in connection with the case filed under the EPR.

In the GD, police mentioned that during the four-party alliance’s rule Tarique himself, his party friends and business partners earned a large amount of money through unbridled corruption in local and foreign tenders.

There is no legality of the source of his earnings, according to the GD.

Besides this, he amassed a huge amount of money taking commission from those who earned illegal money by appointing people to different posts in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Moreover, he siphoned off crores of taka which he earned through manipulating tenders using his, other family members’ and business partners’ influences in purchasing CNG-run auto-rickshaws, setting up power plants and manufacturing electric poles which caused huge loss to the government, reads the GD.

Police said Tarique needs to be confined to jail to prevent him from such activities.

Later, he was shown arrested in ten extortion cases and one in which he is accused of cheating, following confessional statements of his close friend and business associate Giausuddin Al Mamun.

The ACC also filed a graft case against Tarique, his wife and mother-in-law for accumulating huge wealth through illegal means.

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