ACC sues DGHS driver, wife

Driver of Directorate General of Health Services Abdul Malek alias Badal, who came to the fore for his alleged involvement in illegal recruitments, manipulating transfers and promotions and trading in fake currencies, was found to have amassed about Tk 1.5 crore illegally, according to a case filed by the ACC.

His wife Nargis Begum has illegal wealth worth about Tk 1.10 crore, the graft watchdog said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday night filed two cases against Malek and his wife.

ACC's Assistant Director Syed Nazrul Islam filed the cases, said Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, ACC's public relations officer.

The ACC began an enquiry into Malek and his wife's wealth in 2019 but the enquiry got momentum after Rab arrested Malek on September 20 last year and seized a firearm, a magazine, five bullets, Tk 1.5 lakh in fake currencies, a laptop and a mobile phone from his possession.

The ACC asked Malek and his wife to submit their wealth statements.

In the enquiry, the anti-graft watchdog found Malek submitted a false statement.

Malek, now suspended, has amassed Tk 1,50,31,810 illegally but submitted a false statement that he owns Tk 93,53,648, the ACC says.

He was made the lone accused in the first case for concealing information about his wealth.

In the second case, Malek and his wife Nargis Begum were accused.

According to the second case statement, Malek directly assisted his wife in acquiring wealth worth Tk 1,10,92,050 beyond their known sources of income.

Malek joined DGHS as a driver of a project in 1982. He had been working as the driver for the director-general of DGHS before being arrested.

Malek was the president of the Health Directorate Drivers Association, sources at the DGHS said, adding that he used the name of this association to exert influence.

Over the years, DGs changed but the power and influence of the driver remained as he had an alliance with key officials at the DGHS.