ACC sues 7 Padma suspects

Former Communications Minister Abul Hossain and former junior Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Chowdhury are not in list.

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday sued seven persons on charges of 'conspiracy to exchange bribes' for appointing SNC Lavalin as the Padma bridge project's consultant.

The corruption watchdog's accused list, however, did not include former Communications Minister Abul Hossain or former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury.

ACC Deputy Director Abdullah Al Zahid filed the case at the Banani Police Station naming Bridges Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, who had already been sent on leave to comply with the World Bank's conditions.

The other six on the dock are superintending engineer of Bridge Division Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Riaz Ahmed Jaber and four officials of SNC Lavalin – Mohammad Mostafa, Ramesh Shaha, Mohammad Ismail and Kevin Wallace.

According to the case details the accused have violated the laws to appoint SNC Lavalin International as the project's consultant, Banani Police Station OC Mahbub Hasan told bdnews24.com.

It is a punishable crime under Section 120 (B) of the penal code, he added.

He said the ACC could not collect sufficient proof against Syed Abul Hossain and Abul Hasan Chowdhury over their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.

The allegations against the duo will however be scrutinised during the case's investigation, he added.