ACC to question JMI chief, Toma official over mask, PPE scams

The Anti-Corruption Commission will question five people, including the chairman of JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd and an official of Toma Construction, over alleged graft in supply of mask, personal protective kits and other medical equipment.

The national antigraft agency has 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.

Md Abdur Razzaq, the chairman of JMI, Md Motiur Rahman, the coordinator of Toma Construction’s medical wing, and Elan’s Aminul will have to appear at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka with papers on Jul 8, the agency’s spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said on Wednesday.

Humayun and Motazzerul have been asked to appear on Jul 9.

In the summons, ACC Director Mir Md Zainul Abedin Shibli wrote that statements of the officials of the private firms were necessary 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.