Amin Hilaly, ‘missing’ real estate boss named in NSU graft case, is found in Savar

Amin Md Hilaly, a real estate businessman charged in a criminal case with embezzlement at North South University, has been found in Dhaka’s Savar after his family reported him missing.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 3 July 2022, 06:59 PM
Updated : 3 July 2022, 07:19 PM

His brother Rafiqul Islam Hilaly told bdnews24.com on Sunday midnight he had spoken to Amin and was on his way to pick Amin up.

Rafiqul, a doctor, demanded steps by the authorities to find out Amin, 56, at a press conference in the afternoon.

At midnight, Rafiqul said his brother called him around 10:45am from the phone of an autorickshaw driver and said “abductors” had left him at Hemayetpur in Savar.

Rafiqul said he informed police about the matter and the law enforcers also confirmed Amin was found in that area.

It was not immediately clear who “abducted” Amin.

The Anti-Corruption Commission on May 5 charged Amin, the managing director of Ashaloy Housing and Developers Limited, and five others with misappropriating North South University's funds for purchasing land for its campus. They were also accused of money laundering.

The other accused are Azim Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the private institution’s board of trustees, and trustees MA Kashem, Benajir Ahmed, Rehana Rahman and Mohammed Shajahan.

Later in May, the High Court denied the four trustees’ plea for anticipatory bail and turned them over to police.

Amin went missing on Friday morning, his family said, as he was in the process of seeking bail from the High Court.

He left home in Uttara and started walking to his office in the same neighbourhood on that day but did not reach his destination, Rafiqul said in a police complaint. His phone was also unreachable.

According to the case started by the ACC, the accused bought 36.81 hectares of land at a low price but provided a much higher estimate to the university authorities with the 'nefarious intention' of embezzling the excess funds.

Initially, they paid the money to the seller, which was then withdrawn by their associates by cheque. The funds were then transferred to the accused, who parked the money in fixed deposit accounts, according to the charges.