ACC questions Bengal Group Chairman Abul Khair Litu on graft charges

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has questioned Bengal Group Limited Chairman Abul Khair Litu on several counts of charges, including embezzlement of money from banks and tax dodge.

ACC officials said a team of investigators quizzed Litu at his Gulshan office for two hours until 2pm on Wednesday.

ACC Director Syed Iqbal Hossain headed the team, which also included Deputy Director Md Mosharraf Hossain Mridha.

The officials said the investigators asked Litu for documents related to the charges.

Litu told bdnews24.com that the ACC officials spoke with him but ‘no specific charge was discussed".

The ACC received a complaint against Litu and members of his family in September over several allegations.

According to the complaint, Litu embezzled money from banks in fraudulent ways and evaded paying tax and VAT worth tens of millions of taka.

Litu acquired assets worth tens of billions of taka from unknown sources, the complaint says.

He is accused of funding political parties abroad, according to the complaint.

It also says he had bought several houses, flats and plots at upmarket Gulshan, Uttara, Mohakhali DOHS, and Dhanmondi areas, and bought his family members luxury cars using the money earned through corruption.    

He owns houses in the US, Singapore and Canada, the complaint says.

It also alleges he founded 'a media organisation with an aim to save his illegal assets'.

The complaint says he brings artists from abroad through his Bengal Foundation in order to 'legalise his illegal activities by creating a position in society'.

He is also sending money abroad 'in the name of bringing artists from abroad', the complaint says.