Shahed’s Loan Scam: ACC grills him over loan from Farmers Bank
The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday interrogated Regent Hospital Chairman Mohammad Shahed in connection with a case filed against him for misappropriating about Tk 2.71 crore from now-defunct Farmers Bank.
ACC Deputy Assistant Director Mohammad Sahajahan Meraz interrogated Shahed for about five hours at the commission's Segunbagicha headquarters.
Earlier, the ACC filed a petition with Dhaka's Senior Special Judge's Court to allow the commission to interrogate Shahed. The court, presided by Judge KM Emrul Kayesh, allowed the ACC to interrogate him on a seven-day remand.
On July 27, Meraz filed a case against Shahed for misappropriating about Tk 2.71 crore loan from Farmers' Bank.
Shahed, who is now in jail, came to the limelight after he was found involved in issuing fake Covid-19 certificates following a raid by Rab on Regent Hospital. He went into hiding and was later arrested by Rab from Satkhira.
"We've gleaned information regarding misappropriation. For the sake of proper investigation, we cannot disclose it right now," said Meraz.
According to the case statement, Shahed bribed former audit committee chairman of the then Farmers Bank Mahbubul Haque Chisty -- accused in five cases filed last year for illegally amassing Tk 135.45 crore -- and gave him Tk 35 lakh to get the loan.
Shahed opened a current account with Gulshan Corporate Branch of Farmers Bank on January 11, 2015.
On the same day, he applied for a Tk 2 crore loan to buy an MRI machine worth around Tk 3.4 crore for his hospital.
In his application, Shahed pledged to keep Tk 1 crore FDR as mortgage against the loan.
On January 15, 2015 at the 21st meeting of the committee, chaired by Chisty, the memo was produced and approved.
After three days, the Credit Risk Management Division sent the loan approval letter to the Gulshan Corporate Branch.
Meanwhile, that same day, Shahed deposited Tk 35 lakh in cash at the Bakshiganj Jute Spinners Ltd account with Farmers Bank at the Bakshiganj branch.
Chisty's son Rashedul Haque Chisty, who is managing director of Bakshiganj Jute Spinners, withdrew the money on two separate days -- January 18 and January 20, according to the ACC.
Shahed did not repay the loan.
Later, the bank reconciled the loan with Shahed's Tk 1 crore FDR. The total outstanding, including loan and interest till July 15, 2020, stood Tk 2.71 crore.
Chisty, his son Rashedul and managing director of Regent Hospital Ibrahim Khalil are also made accused in the case.
Earlier, the ACC filed another case against Shahed for misappropriating Tk 1.51 crore loan from NRB bank.