BASIC Bank loan scam
SC unhappy over ACC probe
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday expressed serious concern over the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) not accusing former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu and directors in connection with the loan scam cases. We dont want to see that the ACC follows a pick and choose system to file such a scam case. No one is above the law. All accused should be brought to book in accordance with the law. The SC itself will monitor the case so that all cases could be settled properly, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who headed the three-member bench of the Appellate Division, said.
The Chief Justices remark came after the ACC lawyer, advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, submitted the reports before the court relating to the investigation into former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu and its ex-board members in the Tk.154 crore loan scam case. The Appellate Division asked the investigating officers of the cases to attach more importance to the probe so that all accused could be brought to book in accordance with the law. We will take stern action against the investigating officers if any negligence is found against them over the investigation, the SC said. The SC came up with the order during the hearing on two appeals against the High Court (HC) order that had granted bail to BASIC Banks former chairman in the Tk.154 crore loan scam case.
However, the Appellate Division adjourned the hearing on the ACC petition till October 8.
While inspecting BASIC Banks Gulshan, Shantinagar and Dilkusha branches, a Bangladesh Bank probe team had stumbled upon loan frauds worth Tk. 4,500 crore. The bank provided loans around Tk. 5,500 crore during Bachchus tenure between 2009 and 2013, most of which were approved and disbursed, based on inadequate documents and inflated mortgages.
The ACC had filed 56 cases over the loan irregularities of the bank, but Bachchu was not charged in any of the cases. The cases came after the ACCs inquiry into the Tk. 4,500 crore BASIC Bank scam could not find Bacchus involvement in it.
It had been alleged that Bacchu had masterminded the biggest banking fraud in the country.
Among the 56 cases, the SC yesterday dealt with two cases, which were filed by the ACC with Motijheel police station in connection with the Tk. 75 crore loan scam.
