ACC questions JMI chairman, Toma Construction coordinator over mask scam

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has questioned the JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Limited chairman and an official of Toma Construction over alleged graft in supply of mask, personal protective kits and other medical equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

The national graft-busters interrogated JMI Chairman Abdur Razzak and Motiur Rahman, the coordinator of Toma Construction’s medical wing, at the watchdog’s headquarters in Dhaka for five hours from 10:30am on Wednesday.

The JMI chairman did not reveal details after emerging from the interrogation to speak to the media.

“We had the responsibility to supply 300,000 masks. We did our job. Only sixty masks were not there. It is not corruption or irregularities,” Toma Construction’s Motiur said.

The national antigraft agency had also summoned Elan Corporation Chairman Aminul Islam Amin, Meditec Imaging Limited Director Md Humayun Kabir and Md Motazzerul Islam Mithu, the chairman of Dhaka Central International Medical College Hospital and owner of Lexican Merchandise and Technocrat Limited.

ACC Director Mir Md Zainul Abedin Shibli wrote in the summons that statements of the officials of the private firms were essential in the investigation into allegations of embezzlement against officials of the health and family planning ministry and Directorate General of Health Services.

The government officials allegedly embezzled tens of millions of takas in collusion with others by purchasing sub-standard masks, PPE and other health equipment for treatment of COVID-19 patients through irregularities, corruption and abuse of power, the letter said.

Shibli is heading a four-member ACC team investigating scams related to purchase of N95 masks and PPE for government hospitals amid the coronavirus outbreak.