ACC chief ducks questions on probing Justice Sinha’s ‘corruption’

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has not made its stance clear on whether it will investigate former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha although law minister suggests the commission to do so, given the 11 graft allegations levelled by the Supreme Court.

Staff CorrespondentTabarul Hoque, bdnews24.com
Published : 19 Nov 2017, 04:12 PM
Updated : 27 Dec 2019, 06:17 AM

Iqbal Mahmood, Chairman of the national anti-graft agency, suggested that journalists do not ask about “someone in particular” when they started firing questions about the issue at his office on Sunday.

“I will not answer your question if it is about a specific person.”

Iqbal did not take Justice Sinha’s name but said: “We will investigate allegations of corruption no matter who the accused persons are. This is what I want to say as a general answer to your queries.”

The Supreme Court on Oct 14 issued a rare statement with damning allegations that tainted the top judge’s career, just three and a half months before his retirement.

SK Sinha

The statement signed by the top court’s Registrar General Syed Aminul Islam came hours after Justice Sinha left for Australia amid harsh criticism by the ruling Awami League stalwarts for scrapping the 16th constitutional amendment.

Money laundering, corruption and moral lapse are among the 11 charges stacked by the Supreme Court against the former top judge.

The president's office said on Nov 11 that it received a letter of resignation from Sinha.

The 11 allegations against Sinha are criminal offences. The corruption watchdog must start investigating them, Law Minister Anisul Huq had remarked.

On this, Iqbal Mahmud, also a former secretary, said: “Only the commission gets to decide which areas it is going to focus on. No-one else gets to take the decision.”

When the reporters highlighted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was of the same view, the ACC chief said: “I have not heard anything like that yet.

“The ACC will operate within the law and make decisions accordingly,” he said.

The ACC should take into account the 11 allegations against Sinha levelled by the Supreme Court and start inquiry, former law minister Shafique Ahmed has also told bdnews24.com.

Sinha, who is currently in Canada, was not reachable for comments.

Before leaving for Australia on Oct 13, he said he was taking the leave as he was ‘embarrassed’ by criticism from the ruling Awami League.

The BNP claims that the ruling party forced Sinha to resign.