ACC to appeal against JMI boss bail over N-95 mask scam

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is going to file an appeal to the High Court against the lower court order which granted bail to JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd Chairman Abdur Razzak in connection with a case lodged over supplying fake N-95 masks for the use of healthcare professionals.

Confirming the matter to The Business Post on Saturday, ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan said, “We are going to file an appeal on Sunday (29 November) in the High Court against the bail order of JMI chairman.”

Earlier on 15 October, JMI chairman Abdur Razzak was granted bail by a Dhaka court.

Judge KM Imrul Kayes of the Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the bail order after a hearing in this regard.

Earlier on October 8, a Dhaka court sent Abdur Razzak to jail in a case lodged over supplying fake N-95 masks for the use of medical care professionals.

Rejecting his bail petition after the conclusion of his 5-day remand, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate KM Imrul Kayes sent him to jail.

The ACC on September 29 arrested JMI Chairman Abdur Razzak. An ACC team led by its Director Mir Zoynul Abedin Shibly arrested Razzak was from Segunbagicha area of the capital.

Later in the day, a Dhaka court placed him on a 5-day remand over the allegations of supplying fake N-95 masks.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate KM Imrul Kayes passed the order after hearing from ACC Deputy Director Nurul Huda who is also the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case.

Earlier ACC grilled him over the supply of 20,000 fake N-95 masks to 10 hospitals which were exposed by the directors of those hospitals as they expressed grievance over the masks that exposed serious health hazards.

Additionally, ACC filed a case against 7 people including Abdur Razzak and six others on the allegations of embezzling money over the supply of the fake N-95 masks.

The ACC on June 10 started investigation into the allegations of embezzling crores of money and acquiring illegal wealth by the officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) by supplying fake facemasks, low-quality PPE and other gadgets to hospitals.

The ACC on August 12 and 13 also interrogated former director-general of DGHS Dr Abul Kalam Azad over various corruption allegations including acquiring illegal wealth and purchasing lower grade PPE and other healthcare gadgets.

nh/wi