Dhaka: The ACC today filed a case against former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and six others on charges of taking bribes, misappropriating money, and laundering money abroad. Deputy Director (PR) of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Md Aktarul Islam, stated that Deputy Assistant Director of Dhaka District Integrated Office of the anti-graft body, Md Sajib Ahmed, filed the case.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the first information report (FIR) reveals that the accused, in connivance with each other, extorted Taka 60 crore from the Chairman and Managing Director of 'Best Services Limited,' Amin Ahmed, and Umme Kulsum under threat and pressure. The victims were account holders at United Commercial Bank (UCB) PLC.
The ACC's primary inquiry discovered that the accused withdrew significant sums of money through various fake accounts, transferred the funds to their names, and eventually laundered the money abroad by intimidating and pressuring the victims.
The FIR further states that the accused took bribes amounting to approximately Taka 213.75 crore from different organizations, including Tharmex Knit Yarn Limited, H M Ship Breaking Limited, Well Mart Limited, and Saif Power Tech Limited.
The ACC initiated the case following a complaint lodged by Amin Ahmed and Umme Kulsum, as the accused extorted Taka 60 crore from them. Investigators allege that when Saifuzzaman Chowhury was a minister, he wielded his influence as a director and owner of the bank, effectively governing it despite his wife Rukmila Zaman being the chairman at that time.
The other accused include former Director of the Bank, Syed Kamruzzaman, and owners of various trading companies: Md Abdul Aziz, Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Mohammad Mesbahul Alam, Mohammad Zahid, and Md Farid Uddin.