Graft Allegation: Benazir summoned before ACC on June 6

The Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned former IGP Benazir Ahmed to appear before it on June 6 on corruption allegations.

The graft watchdog yesterday also asked Benazir's wife Jissan Mirza and two of their daughters to appear before it on June 9 for questioning over graft allegations. Letters were sent to them in this regard, said sources in the ACC.

In another development, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Monday froze the beneficiary owners' (BO) accounts of Benazir, his wife, and two daughters.

On April 18, the graft watchdog decided to launch an enquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth by the former inspector general of police after a Bangla daily ran reports on this. It also formed a three-member committee to probe the allegations.

A Dhaka court on May 23 ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate the properties listed in 83 deeds belonging to Benazir and his family members, and freeze their 33 bank accounts.

Three days later, the same court ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate assets under 119 more deeds of Benazir and his family members in connection with the alleged corruption.

It also directed them to attach eight fully-owned and 15 partially-owned properties of Benazir, his wife Jissan and two daughters.

BO ACCOUNTS FROZEN

Following the freeze of the BO accounts, Benazir and his family members will not be able to trade shares in the stock market and liquidate investments.

"We have frozen the BO accounts following a request from the ACC," said a senior BSEC official requesting anonymity.

Benazir had been at the helm of the police from April 15, 2020 to September 30, 2022. He had also worked as the director general of the Rab.