ACC ‘finds evidence of forgery’ in graft probe against ex-chief justice Sinha

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC claims to have found evidence of forgery in an investigation into allegations of corruption against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

There had been forgery in taking Tk 40 million as loans from the Farmers Bank, ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood told reporters without naming anyone on Thursday.

The money drawn by two businessmen had been deposited to Justice Sinha’s account, the lawyer for the businessmen told bdnews24.com earlier.

The businessmen, Md Shahjahan and Niranjan Chandra Saha, had borrowed the money from the bank’s Gulshan branch and the sum was transferred to Justice Sinha’s account via another businessman, according to the complaint following which the ACC launched the investigation.

The former chief justice showed the amount as proceeds from the sale of a house, the complaint said.

The commission has not disclosed the name of the ‘important person’ who received the money, but the media has reported that the account belonged to Justice Sinha.

The businessmen’s lawyer also named Justice Sinha as the recipient of the money after the duo were questioned by the ACC.

Justice Sinha made the headlines again recently after he accused the government in a book of exiling him after he had resigned in the face of intimidation and threats.

The ACC on Wednesday said it was investigating a case started by lawyer and former BNP government minister Nazmul Huda accusing Justice Sinha of demanding bribe from the lawyer when he was an Appellate Division judge.

The former top judge had faced criticism from the ruling Awami League over the verdict of the 16th amendment to the constitution and left the country on leave in October last year. Later, he submitted his resignation from abroad.

The government said he was sick, but before leaving Bangladesh on Oct 13, Justice Sinha said he was 'not sick, but embarrassed' at the criticism by the ruling Awami League.

After his resignation, the Supreme Court said in a rare statement that Justice Sinha had been facing 11 specific charges, including corruption, money laundering, financial irregularities and moral blunder.

The ACC recently quizzed a former managing director of the Farmers Bank and five other officials of the bank as it is weighing whether to start a formal investigation against Justice Sinha over the Tk 40 million corruption allegation.

It is also investigating allegations against Justice Sinha’s brother Ananta Kumar Sinha that he had laundered money to purchase a three-storey house in the US.

About the allegation of graft involving the Farmers Bank, the ACC chairman said the investigation has ended and a number of people’s involvement in the alleged corruption has been found.

He said they have also found the money was laundered, or withdrawn in cash in different places.

Asked whether the former chief justice was involved in the loan scam, Iqbal again refused to take names.

“We will take action against all the people involved, no matter how important they are,” he added. 

He also said now the ACC would launch a formal investigation into the allegations by starting a case.