ACC submits charge sheet against Mirza Abbas, wife

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday submitted a charge sheet against BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas in a case filed on charges of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 20.74 crore.

The anti-graft body’s Deputy Director Md Nurul Huda, also an investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Special Judges’ Court accusing the couple in the graft case, said ACC secretary Md Mahbub Hossain.

Asked whether there is any political link in the case, the ACC official said there is no political link with the case. The commission conducts investigations in accordance with its own rules and regulations, he added.

According to the charge sheet, ACC found wealth worth Tk 20.74 crore of Afroza Abbas though she is a housewife. ACC said the wealth is actually acquired with the help of her husband Mirza Abbas from illegal sources.

Mirza Abbas was a Member of Parliament and Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation. He was also Housing and Public Works Minister between 2001 and 2006. During his tenure, Abbas amassed the wealth in the name of his wife till August 16, 2007, by illegal sources through bribery and corruption, said the charge sheet.

During interrogation, Afroza Abbas told ACC that she took a loan of Tk 1.50 crore from businessman MNH Bulu and Tk 1.13 crore as a donation from her parents and sister. However, she could not show any record in favour of her wealth before the commission.

ACC brought allegations against Afroza Abbas and her husband Mirza Abbas under different sections of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Penal Code and also Prevention of Money Laundering Act for transferring, converting and hiding the location of the illegal assets.

Earlier, ACC filed the case with the Shahjahanpur police station on July 7, 2019.