[ALOCHONA] ACC: 240 convicted in 61 high profile cases

240 so far convicted in 61 cases of high-profile corruption, crimes
21 acquitted of charges; 217 convicts involved in politics
Shahiduzzaman and Moneruzzaman Mission , New Age, 24  February, 2008

 

Twenty-one people have so far been acquitted of the charges while at least 240 people, 217 of whom are involved in politics, have been sentenced to imprisonment for varying terms in 61 cases in connection with the ongoing drive of the military-controlled interim government against high-profile corruption and serious crimes.

   Of the 61 cases, in which verdicts have so far been delivered, none ended in acquittal of all the accused or of the principal accused.The 21 people, acquitted of the charges in seven cases, were co-accused and charged with abetting the principal accused, mostly their close relations, in committing the offences.

   Jailed Dhaka city Awami League president Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya's wife Parveen Chowdhury, two sons Sajedul Hossain Chowdhury and Rashedul Hossain Chowdhury, and Sajed's wife Subarna Chowdhury, jailed former Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker Manjurul Ahsan Munshi's wife Mazeda Ahsan and two sons Rezaonul Ahsan and Rizviul Ahsan, and detained telephone board CBA leader Feroz Mia's wife Rawshan Ara were acquitted of the charge of abetting Maya, Manjurul and Firoz in amassing illegal wealth and concealing assets in their wealth statements.

   Former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Huq, Moulvibazar municipal chairman Fayzul Karim Mayun and former Moulvibazar Roads and Highways sub-divisional engineer Monwar Sadik, and union council chairmen Besharatullah and Rafiqul Islam were acquitted of the charges in three extortion cases.

   Salimul was a co-accused in the Tk 1 crore extortion case against former state minister for communications Salahuddin Ahmed, Besharatullah and Rafiqul Islam were co-accused in an extortion a case against Rajshahi mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, and Fayzul and Monwar were co-accused in the extortion case against former BNP lawmaker Naser Rahman, also son of former finance minister M Saifur Rahman.

   Three persons, co-accused in an extortion case against detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's cousin Sheikh Helal, also a former lawmaker, were also acquitted of the charges.

   Five people, including the general secretary of the Naogaon district unit of the BNP youth front Juba Dal Babul Chowdhury, co-accused in an arson case against former BNP deputy minister Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, were also acquitted of the charges.

   Besides, 15 women were jailed on charge of abetting their husband or close relations and 11 men for abetting their father in committing the offences.
   Of the 240 convicts, 58 are now detained in jail and the rest are in hiding.
   At least 125 politicians, including some already convicted, are now detained, while at least 46 politicians and more than 50 family members of politicians are on the run in connection with cases filed after the declaration of the state of emergency on January 11, 2007.

   The 217 convicted political party leaders and activists include 2 former Awami League ministers, 9 former BNP ministers, 1 former Jatiya Party minister, who was also in the AL cabinet, 1 former chief whip, 1 city mayor, 2 former AL lawmakers, 10 former BNP lawmakers, 2 Dhaka city ward commissioners, 3 municipal chairmen, 1 CBA leader, 2 close relatives of two convicted AL leaders, while the rests are BNP leaders, activists and their relatives.

   Of the total, 17 were jailed for amassing illegal wealth, 6 for not submitting wealth statements after being asked to do so by the Anti-Corruption Commission, 30 for evading taxes, 8 for bribery, 45 for extortion, 4 for cheating, 4 for possessing illegal arms, 25 for patronising militancy, 1 for possessing illegal liquor, 90 for setting fire to and vandalising houses in Natore, 2 for vandalism, 1 for possessing illegal wireless communications equipments, 1 for misappropriation of relief goods, 1 for possessing illegal foreign currency and allowing a friend to use government car abusing power and 5 for misappropriating bank funds. Some of the convicts were sentenced in more than one case.

   The convicts include 10 businessmen, 2 business house employees, 3 policemen, 2 engineers, 3 government officials, 1 wife of a government official and 219 political party leaders, activists and their close relations.

   The Anti-Corruption Commission has so far notified 256 people asking them to submit wealth statements and sued 148 of them, mostly politicians, for amassing wealth beyond their known sources of income and concealing assets in their wealth statements and 6 for not submitting their wealth statement after being notified by the commission to do so.

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