Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday asked the owner of M/S Jadid Automobiles Shamimuzzaman Kanchon to appear before an investigation team as a part of a probe on his alleged involvement in supplying substandard mask and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Covid-19 treatment.
The national anti-graft body also asked Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) to provide all the relevant documents related to the purchase of masks and PPE.
In a notice signed by ACC Director Mir Zoynul Abedin Shibly, Shamimuzzaman Kanchon was summoned to appear at the ACC headquarters on September 9.
Director (public relations) of the ACC Pranab Kumar Bhattachariya confirmed the development to The Business Post.
The notice said, "The ACC is investigating allegations of acquiring illegal wealth and embezzling huge amount of money by staff members and officials of the DGHS and different hospitals by providing substandard masks and PPE used for Covid-19 treatment. For the sake of proper investigation, the ACC needs to hear from Shamimuzzaman Kanchan with substantial documents related to the allegations in the designated time and if he fails to turn up on that day the ACC will count that as if he has nothing to say regarding this business".
In another letter sent to DGHS and DGDA, the ACC requested to provide all the relevant documents by September 8 for the sake of proper investigation on the mask and PPE scam.
According to the letter, these documents include: "documents of strike between DGHS and Jadid Automobile under the project taken by DGHS to counter Covid-19, supply order, information about supplied protective equipment, invoice, payment, and others attested copy of the affairs."
A separate letter sent to DGDA said attested copy of application written to the director-general of directorate general of drug administration by M/S Jadid Automobiles and copy of permission to import mask and PPE items will also need to be produced.
The ACC grilled former DG of DGHS over the mask and PPE scam on August 12 although he claimed himself to be an 'honest, decent and talented person' and, therefore, washing his hands off the affairs saying he was not involved with any corruption as he discharged his duty with full devotion and honesty.
The ACC also interrogated six officials of Central Medicine Stores depot (CMSD) on the issue of mask and PPE scam in last week of July as the ACC started investigating into 900 crore taka purchase of masks and PPE on June 10 amid the outcry of supplying substandard masks and PPE to frontline fighters of Covid-19, such as doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
sh/teb
