ACC finds 'sacks of evidence' on ex-IGP Shahidul’s assets

A total of 48 items of 38 types were in the bags, including documents on valuable property, confidential contracts, agreements, powers of attorney, and bonds

The Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC, has seized two sacks-worth of evidence on liquid and immovable assets worth billions of taka, including contracts and other important documents, belonging to former Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque.

The evidence was recovered from the house of a relative of Shahidul in Dhaka on Tuesday night, said ACC spokesman Tanzir Ahmed.

He said a five-strong team led by investigating officer Assistant Director Rakibul Hayat conducted a raid on the relative's house from midnight to dawn on Tuesday.

"During the search, 48 items of evidence of 38 types were found in two sacks, including documents on valuable property, confidential contracts, agreements, powers of attorney, and bonds, FDRs, association memoranda, offer letters, bank account statements and other important documents."

During the investigation, the ACC found evidence against the former police chief had acquired a huge amount of illegal wealth through “dishonest means”.

The ACC says Shahidul was trying to hide his illegal wealth by moving the documentation from the home of one family member to another.

The ACC's public relations department also said that the documents contain information about “million in illegal wealth”.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, or BFIU, had previously informed the ACC of receiving information about unusual transactions amounting to Tk 5.6 billion from 72 bank accounts held by Shahidul, his wife Shamsunnahar Rahman and their three children.

The investigation also revealed huge transactions from multiple bank accounts belonging to the Majid-Zarina Foundation controlled by Shahidul’s family. As of Sept 9, 2024, a total of Tk 5.6 billion had been deposited in those 72 bank accounts and Tk 5.5 billion had been withdrawn. Currently, only Tk 102 million remains in these accounts.

The BFIU sent the report to the ACC to take further action.

Shahidul served as the IGP from Dec 31, 2014 to Jan 31, 2018. He became the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in 2009, soon after the Awami League government came to power.

After the fall of the government, Shahidul was arrested from Sector 16 in Dhaka’s Uttara on Sept 3. He was then shown arrested in murder cases at various police stations. After his arrest, the former police chief was also remanded several times.