Court asks ACC to submit probe report by Oct 3
A Dhaka court yesterday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to submit probe report in a Tk 3 crore graft case against Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and six other prominent personalities by October 3.
Metropolitan Magistrate Mizanur Rahman gave the order after accepting the First Information Report (FIR) the ACC's prosecution officer placed before the court.
The co-accused in the case are former energy secretary Dr Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former Power Development Board (PDB) chairman Noor Uddin Mahmud Kamal, Managing Director of Summit Industries and Mercantile Corporation Private Ltd Aziz Khan, its Director Farid Khan, United Group Chairman Hasan Mahmud Raja and its Director Abul Kalam Azad.
The watchdog's Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan lodged the case with Tejgaon Police Station on Sunday afternoon, accusing Hasina and the six of helping M/s Wartsila Power Development Ltd Consortium and its local partners -- Summit Group and United Group -- win a deal on setting up three 100 megawatt barge-mount power plants in Haripur, Shikalbaha and Khulana.
He complained that the power-plant contracts were ensured for the two companies by wielding clout following mutual understanding among the individuals involved, depriving the lowest bidder.
The case statement said Hasina, then the prime minister, pocketed kickbacks from the two power companies since October 24, 1996 till November 24, 1997 in exchange for the fix.
The AL chief was arrested on July 16 this year in connection with a Tk 3 crore extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of Eastcoast Private Trading Ltd, also a power company.
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