The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found abnormal and suspicious transactions in various bank accounts of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and his family members.
The ACC submitted a report on this matter to the High Court bench composed of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ibadat Hossain on Sunday (July 28).
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said that progress reports on Benazir Ahmed's corruption have been submitted.
“The report indicates that evidence has been found of Benazir Ahmed withdrawing money before leaving the country. There have been suspicious transactions in his account, and now the commission's investigators are examining these details. The hearing on the case will be held soon,” he said.
On March 31, a national daily published a report containing various allegations ranging from irregularities to corruption and abuse of power by former IGP Benazir Ahmed. It prompted Supreme Court lawyer Salah Uddin Rigan to challenge the ACC's inactivity in investigating these allegations by filing a writ petition in the High Court.
After preliminary hearings on this writ, the High Court directed on April 23 that a progress report on the investigation into the allegations of irregularities, corruption, illegal assets, and abuse of power against former IGP Dr. Benazir Ahmed be submitted within two months. Accordingly, the ACC submitted the report on Sunday.
Meanwhile, on April 22, the ACC formed a committee to investigate the allegations of Benazir's corruption. Sensing the situation, the former IGP began withdrawing money on April 23. By April 30, Benazir, along with his wife Jisan Mirza and daughter Farhin Rista, had withdrawn nearly TK13 crore from several accounts.
Benazir, his wife, and their three daughters left Dhaka by a Singapore Airlines flight on the night of May 4.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan stated that the withdrawal of money and the active efforts to remove funds after the investigation started indicate Benazir's 'criminal mindset', a concept in criminal law that goes to establish intent behind a crime.
In three phases, approximately 700 bighas of land belonging to the former IGP have been seized. Additionally, 12 flats, 33 bank accounts, and a significant amount of movable and immovable property have been seized. The ACC suspects that there may be more property in both domestic and international names. The commission's lawyer mentioned that a decision on filing a case will be made soon.