ACC launches investigation into Rooppur power plant pillow scam

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has launched an investigation into the graft allegations against people involved in unusual expenditure in purchasing pillow, furniture and other household items for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant staff.

A three-member committee led by Deputy Director Md Nasir Uddin has been formed to investigate the scam, said ACC spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya on Thursday.

Following media reports on the alleged corruption, the housing and public works ministry formed two separate investigation panels in May 19.

The purchase prices of stuffs to furnish the project’s apartments for the staff were unusually higher than the market prices, the media reported.

Each pillow, the reports claimed, was bought for Tk 5,957, and its carrying cost from the shop to the building was at Tk 760.

The two panels of the ministry found irregularities worth more than Tk 620 million. They also found the involvement of 34 government officers in irregularities in purchasing the items for Green City housing project under Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project.

According to the reports, 11 20-storey buildings and eight 16-storey buildings are being constructed as part of the project to accommodate the project members.

Construction works of eight 20-storey buildings and one 16-storey building were completed.

Each pillow was shown to have cost Tk 5,957 and Tk 760 was shown as the carrying cost for each pillow.

The purchase price of each refrigerator was shown Tk 94, 250 and Tk 12, 521 was shown as the lifting charge. Similarly, a TV, purchased at Tk 86,970, was lifted spending Tk 7,638, while a bed sheet was shown to have been bought for Tk 5,986 with an additional lifting charge of Tk 931.