Photo: Collected
An order has been issued to submit an investigation report by August 27 regarding the embezzlement of Tk 104 crore from customers by Homeland Life Insurance Company, a company in the insurance sector. If a complete report cannot be provided by that date, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been asked to inform the court about the progress of the report.
On Sunday, a High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Md. Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ibadat Hossain passed the order.
When the case was presented in court for hearing on Sunday, lawyer Mohammad Sajjad Hossain, representing the ACC, submitted a compliance report on the steps taken by the ACC in light of the previous order given on this matter.
The report states that in response to a writ petition filed regarding the embezzlement of hundreds of crores of taka by Homeland Life Insurance through various irregularities without paying its customers, the Commission decided to investigate the complaint, which was addressed to the Director General (Money Laundering). Accordingly, the ACC-appointed investigating officer Yeasir Arafat began the investigation. A progress report related to this was submitted.
Advocate Akhtar Rasul Murad, representing the writ petition, informed journalists that 14 customers of Homeland Life Insurance Company filed a writ petition to investigate the allegation of embezzlement of Tk 104 crore 6 lakh 38 thousand 678. After the initial hearing of this writ on March 29 last year, the court directed the Chairman of the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) and the ACC Chairman to investigate the matter.
Instructions were given to submit a progress report on the actions taken regarding the investigation. At the same time, the court issued a rule asking why directions for an investigation should not be given to the concerned parties. The court also directed the ACC to positively settle an application from the affected customers of Homeland Life Insurance.
Advocate Akhtar Rasul Murad said that compliance has been filed on behalf of the ACC. They have informed the court that the investigation process has started. As part of this, the process of obtaining necessary records from Homeland Life Insurance Company and taking statements from witnesses has begun.
This lawyer further informed that after hearing both sides, the court has set August 27 as the date to submit the investigation report on the incident of embezzling money from Homeland Life Insurance customers, or if the investigation is not complete, to submit a progress report with reasons.
Rahima Akhtar filed the writ on behalf of 14 customers of the institution. The writ petition named the Finance Secretary, IDRA Chairman, ACC Chairman, Homeland Insurance Chairman and Vice Chairman, along with 14 directors of the institution, as respondents.
Senior Advocate Barrister Md. Ruhul Quddus Kazal conducted the hearing on behalf of the writ, accompanied by Advocates Akhtar Rasul Murad, Abdullah Al Maruf Fahim, and Didarul Alam.
Messenger/Fameema
