Retired cop, accused in graft case, ‘threatens’ ACC official in Barishal
An official of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Barishal has allegedly been cornered and threatened by a retired police official when the ACC deputy assistant director went to the court premises on Wednesday to testify against the former constable accused in a corruption case.
Later, the deputy director of ACC Barishal integrated district office rescued him.
The incident took place on Barishal Divisional Special Court premises in the afternoon. The ACC official, Md Al-Amin, filed a general diary with Barisal Kotwali Model Police Station that night.
According to ACC, they have informed the higher authorities regarding the incident for taking legal action against the accused.
Al-Amin, deputy assistant director of ACC's Barishal unit, said he filed the case against retired constable Md Alauddin Dhali and his wife Maksuda Begum on October 10, 2018 with Barishal Model Police Station over not submitting proper wealth documents and concealing information.
Also, Dhali could not provide information of around Tk 57 lakh in his and his wife's name to the ACC, Al-Amin added.
The charge sheet was submitted to the court on October 11 last year.
"I went to the court in the afternoon to testify against the accused. Dhali threatened and detained me on the court premises around 1pm on the day," he said. "Afraid, I took shelter at the police booth. The ACC deputy director rescued me an hour later," he added.
According to ACC sources, the accused constable retired from Rajarbagh Police Lines in 2012. After retirement, he moved to his home town Barishal. He has a plot in Keraniganj, a 1,068-square-foot flat on Outer Circular Road in Dhaka in his wife's name, and 59 land deeds in Dhaka and Barishal.
"He tried his best to remove his wife's name from the case, but could not. So he, along with others, threatened and cornered me on that day," Al-Amin added.
Contacted yesterday, Dhali said, "I did not detain him [the ACC official]. I paid him Tk 3 lakh to remove my wife's name from the case and asked him to return it as he did not do so."
Asked about the corruption case, Dhali said he had provided ACC with all the information regarding his assets. "Now I don't remember everything," he said and hung up the phone.
Al-Amin refuted the bribery allegation.
Debabrata Mandal, ACC deputy director, Barishal said, "Being informed, we rescued Al-Amin from the court premises at 2pm. We have informed the higher authorities for taking action against the accused."
About the bribery allegation, the deputy director said, "Usually in corruption cases like this one, the accused often come up with such allegations."