Photo : Messenger
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started verifying the assets of 11 prison officials. After investigating the complaint received by the ACC, it was found that the prison officials have illegal assets, so a notice of asset declaration was issued.
However, all of them have filed asset declaration. ACC has also appointed investigating officers to verify those asset declarations. After verifying the asset statement, the inquiry report will be submitted to the commission. Then if the commission approves the case, a case will be filed against them.
A senior ACC source told The Daily Messenger that prison officials who have homes abroad, who have laundered money abroad, have been exempted but asset declaration notices have been issued against those who are relatively vulnerable.
According to ACC sources, Deputy Director Ajay Kumar Saha is verifying the assets of District SM Mohiuddin Haider and his wife Noor Ayesha Chiddika of Bogra District Jail.
Shafiqul Islam Khan, former Senior Jail Superintendent of Chattogram Central Jail, Asadur Rahman of Comilla Central Jail and his wife Sabreen Jahan; Deputy Inspector General of Prison Jahangir Kabir and his wife Nazneen Nahar are being verified by Deputy Director Sahidul Alam Sarkar of Mymensingh Division.
Mymensingh Senior Jail Superintendent Jahanara Begum's asset statement is being verified by Deputy Director Meftahul Jannat.
Deputy Director Selina Akhtar is verifying the asset statement of Sharmin Sultana, wife of retired Jail Superintendent Syed Mostafizur Rahman.
According to ACC sources, Syed Mostafizur Rahman is the nephew of late HT Imam, political advisor to the Prime Minister.
Senior Jail Superintendent Iqbal Kabir Chowdhury of Jashore Central Jail, Jail Superintendent Jannat-ul Farhad of Bandarban District Jail and his wife Aleya Nasreen are being verified by Deputy Director Syed Ataul Kabir.
Rajshahi Central Jail Senior Jail Superintendent Subrata Kumar Bala and his wife Ananya Majumder; Chattogram Division Deputy Inspector General of Prison AKM Fazlul Haque and his wife Sobhan Sultana; Barguna District Jail Jail Superintendent Amjad Hossain and his wife Sultana Afroza are verifying the assets of Assistant Director Prabir Kumar Das.
Amjad Hossain joined Barguna District Jail on June 8, 2022. Before this he served in Gaibandha. He told The Daily Messenger, "It is a false accusation against him. There is no truth in all this.'
ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Saiduzzaman and Abul Kalam Azad submitted a report to the commission after finding preliminary evidence that prison officials have illegal assets after preliminary investigation. Based on that report, asset declaration notices were issued against them.
According to related sources, on October 26, 2018, the uproar over the matter started after the railway police detained prison officer Sohel Rana Biswas with Tk 44 lakh in cash and several crores of cheques from Chattogram to Mymensingh bound Bijoy Express.
After the arrest, Sohail Rana said that he took this illegally earned money to give to various officials.
Later ACC started investigating the matter. After the initial investigation, a case was filed against Sohel Rana of the former district of Chattogram in November 2021, alleging illegal acquisition of wealth.
At the same time, it was decided to investigate the officials of the prison against whom there are allegations of corruption.
According to ACC sources, on the basis of the information given by Sohel Rana Biswas, Tk 80 lakh in cash was recovered by raiding the residence of former DIG of Jails, Partha Gopal Bonik on July 29, 2019. ACC Assistant Director (now Deputy Director) Salahuddin filed a case as plaintiff in that incident.
After giving the charge sheet to the court in that case, the court sentenced Partha Gopal Bonik to eight years imprisonment in two sections in January 2022 after the trial. Following this, some prison officials were interrogated on February 16 of the same year.
A team led by ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Saiduzzaman interrogated them.
Messenger/Disha
