ACC probing former CJ Sinhas bank account
Staff Reporter
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is currently investigating the bank account of former chief justice SK Sinha. On November 9 last year, Tk 4 crore was deposited with the bank account of SK Sinha, who resigned on Nov 11, through two separate pay orders issued on Nov 8 by businessmen Mohammad Shahjahan and Niranjon Shaha from the Gulshan branch of the Farmers Bank.
Syed Iqbal Hossain, director of the ACC, sent two separate letters to Mohammad Shahjahan and Niranjon Shaha yesterday, asking them to appear before it on May 6 for their explanation on the matter, ACC sources said.
ACC officials have not made any official comment on the matter. But sources in the anti-graft body said the commission is currently investigating the matter. Earlier, there were rumours about the former chief justice and the media published reports relating to the matter.
After completion of the investigation, we will disclose the matter officially, said an ACC official, requesting anonymity.
In its letters, the ACC asked the two businessmen to appear before the commission at 9.00am on May 6.
Allegations have been made against the two businessmen for taking a loan of Tk. 4 crore from the Farmers Bank after opening accounts in the bank through fake documents. Both
of them sent the money to the account of an important person of the state, according to the ACC letter.
According to media reports, more than Tk. 5.5 crore had been transferred to an account in the Supreme Courts branch of Sonali Bank, which belongs to Justice SK Sinha.
The two businessmen, Mohammad Shahjahan and Niranjon Shaha, opened two accounts on November 6 in the Gulshan branch of the Farmers Bank through fake documents and took a loan Tk. 4 crore, which was sent to the former chief justices account on November 9 through pay orders numbering 0092046 and 0092047, according to the report.
However, there was no transfer from the two accounts of Farmers Bank after the pay order. Earlier on November 11 last year, Surendra Kumar Sinha resigned from his position following weeks of controversies over his leave and going abroad.
He submitted his resignation to the President on 10 November, the last day of his leave. The resignation of the countrys chief justice was preceded by harsh criticism of him by a number of Cabinet members and members of Parliament over the full verdict that cancelled the 16th Amendment to the Constitution.
SK Sinha left Bangladesh for Australia to stay with his eldest daughter Suchana Sinha on 13 October. On 2 October, he applied to President Md Abdul Hamid for a months leave that ended on 1 November. On October 16, law minister Anisul Huq said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) may launch an inquiry against former chief justice SK Sinha as most of the 11 allegations raised against him are under the jurisdiction of the Commission.
An SC statement signed by its registrar general Syed Aminul Islam stated that five Appellate Division judges had declined to conduct judicial activities together with Surendra Kumar Sinha as there are 11 specific allegations, including those of moral turpitude and corruption, against him.
