Amid widespread criticism, the railway ministry yesterday recast one of the two committees it had formed earlier to probe the recovery of Tk 70 lakh from the possession of the railway minister's assistant personal secretary (APS) and two top railway officials on Monday night.
Despite reconstitution of the probe body, the spate of criticism continued since it is now headed by Railway Director General Abu Taleb, instead of an official not linked to the railway ministry.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel on Monday night detained at their headquarters in the capital General Manager (East) of the railway Yusuf Ali Mridha and its Dhaka Division Security Commandant Enamul Huq, Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta's APS Omar Faruq Talukder and his (Faruq) driver Ali Azam along with the money.
Sources said the four were on their way to Suranjit's Jhigatola residence by a microbus of the APS. The driver drove the vehicle into the BGB headquarters and shouted that there was illegal money in the vehicle. He did so as he was reportedly not paid Tk five lakh out of the amount.
On Tuesday, the railway ministry formed a one-member committee comprising its Joint Secretary Shashi Kumar Singha to probe Mridha's alleged involvement in the scandal and another one-member committee consisting of Suranjit's Personal Secretary Akhteruzzaman to probe Omar Faruq's involvement.
Contacted yesterday, Shashi Kumar said the probe body (comprising him) has been reformed with the railway DG as its head to probe the reported involvement of Mridha and Enamul Huq in the incident.
Replying to a query, he said the probe body has been reformed since Mridha also is an official of his (Shashi) rank.
It was recast at a meeting at the Railway Bhaban yesterday morning in presence of the railway minister and the secretary.
Shashi and Akhteruzzaman said Mridha and Faruq have been served separate letters asking them to appear before the probe committees at 10:00am on Sunday at the Railway Bhaban.