Published on 11:34 AM, July 09, 2023

Probe into allegations against BFF officials over govt fund to run: SC

The Supreme Court on Sunday upheld a High Court directive that asked the agencies concerned to conduct inquiry into corruption allegations regarding government fund against some officials of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

The Appellate Division of the SC also affirmed its chamber judge's order that on June 25 issued status quo on a part of the HC directive which directed them to probe the allegations regarding FIFA fund.

The apex court also asked the HC to dispose of the rule issued over this matter in three weeks, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

A full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing of a leave to appeal petition filed by BFF's senior vice-president and finance committee chairman Abdus Salam Murshedy challenging the HC order.

The HC on May 15 ordered the ACC, Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Youth and Sports ministry to conduct inquiry into the allegations of corruption, money laundering and embezzlement allegedly raised against the officials concerned of BFF and to submit the probe reports before it in four months.

The HC also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain why their inaction to conduct the inquiry into these allegations should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu issued the order and rule following a writ petition filed seeking its directive on the ACC to probe the corruption allegation.