ACC sues ex-secy for graft

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today filed a case against former secretary Dr Proshanto Kumar Roy for amassing about Tk 1.25 crore beyond his known source of income.

ACC's Deputy Director Mashiur Rahman filed the case with its integrated district office against Proshanto, who was also the project director of 'Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar' project.

Investigators also found that the former secretary laundered huge money in Australia through hundi.

According to the case statement, the ACC issued a notice to the accused to file a wealth statement on December 08, 2019. Proshanto, who was secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperative Division, submitted the wealth statement on February 02, 2020.

He declared having moveable and immoveable properties worth about Tk 2,78,67,540. However, ACC's investigator found the total amount of his moveable and immoveable properties worth Tk 3,99,17,356.

"He concealed wealth about Tk 1,20,49,816 in his wealth statement which is a punishable offence," reads the case statement.

In his income tax file, the former secretary declared that his total earnings were about Tk 4.75 crore and expenditures Tk 2.01 crore. His neat legal earnings were Tk 2.73 crore.

After deducting his neat legal earnings from total assets, it is found that Proshanto had about Tk 1.25 crore in additional wealth which was beyond his known source of income.

During the investigation, the ACC also found the accused deposited about Tk 13.24 crore in different accounts belonging to him and his dependents at different times in 12 branches of Sonali Bank, National Bank, Prime Bank, Meghna Bank and Bank Asia.

At different times, he withdrew about TK 12.98 crore.

"The transactions in the accounts of a government employee and his dependents were unusual and inconsistent," reads the case statement.

The statement said Proshanto had sent a huge amount of money to his two daughters who were studying in Australia.

"It is learnt that he sent Tk 35.95 lakh to them between 2013 and 2017 by banking channel and a lot of money through hundi," it said.

The investigation agency also found that the accused sent Tk 50 lakh to his nephew illegally through hundi.