HC asks ACC to report in 3 months or face music

The High Court on Tuesday directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to complete the investigation of the cases filed over the much-talked-about 2015 Basic Bank loan scam and submit reports in three months.

The court also warned that appropriate legal action will be taken if the ACC fails to submit the report.

A bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu issued the order after dismissing a bail petition of the BASIC Bank’s official Mohammad Ali, who is accused in three cases.

The HC bench delivered the verdict after a hearing on three rules that asked the ACC and the state to explain why Mohammad Ali should not be granted bail in the three graft cases.

Senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state, and SM Abul Hossain argued for Mohammad Ali.

AKM Amin Uddin Manik said, “The court has asked to submit a report through the Registrar of the Supreme Court within three months after completing the investigation.”

Khurshid Alam Khan said, “The court has said that credit cards, smart cards, and air tickets are not given to loan defaulters abroad but it’s different in the country.”

The HC said if the investigation is not completed on time, many evidence in the case will be destroyed.

“The money is the public money. The money cannot go anywhere except for the welfare of the country’s people. It is the responsibility of the bank to protect it. We are not taking the bank manager’s failure lightly there,” the court said

In response to a question, AKM Amin Uddin Manik said that the Basic Bank cases were filed in 2015 but the investigation has been pending for a long time.

“The court said, if the ACC cannot complete the investigation within the specified time, they should give up their responsibility. Then other agency will investigate it,” he said

The state law officer also said there are allegations of embezzlement of about Tk 2,077 in the Basic Bank scam. Out of this, only Tk 115.78 crore has been recovered so far.