The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Thursday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to seize assets worth Tk聽7 crore of Gemcon Group chief executive officer Kazi Anis Ahmed and to freeze his bank accounts with deposit of Tk聽107 crore over allegations of corruption.
The court also asked the anti-graft agency to freeze 81 bank accounts of Awami League presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, also a former minister, his wife Parvin Chowdhury, and their son Rashedul Islam over allegations of corruption.
Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order regarding Kazi Anis following a petition submitted by the ACC assistant director Al-Amin, said ACC deputy director for public relations Ahtarul Islam.
The court also imposed a travel ban on Kazi Anis following a separate petition filed by the ACC official.
According to the court order, the seized immovable assets include 49.43 acres of land in Dhaka and other districts, and a plot at Gulshan in the capital Dhaka.
The assets are valued at Tk聽7.20 crore.
The frozen movable assets include Tk聽84.89 crore held in 39 beneficiary owner accounts and Tk聽22.38 crore in 20 bank accounts.
In its petition, the ACC stated that Kazi Anis, the CEO of Gemcon Group, has amassed a large amount of wealth through illegal means.
The ACC filed a case against him on September 19 on charges of possessing assets worth Tk 80.35 crore beyond known sources of income.
Kazi Anis deposited Tk 40.69 crore and withdrew Tk聽38.45 crore through 20 bank accounts held under his name, jointly, and under the name of his company.
These transactions appeared disproportionate and suspicious compared to his declared business capital, said the petition.
A separate case under the Money Laundering Prevention Act has also been filed against him.
The ACC stated that it was necessary to freeze and confiscate the identified assets, as credible information indicated that Kazi Anis might attempt to sell, transfer, or dispose of them 鈥� actions that could obstruct the investigation and deprive the state of recovering allegedly ill-gotten wealth from him.
The court on Thursday also ordered the ACC to freeze 81 bank accounts of former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, his wife Parvin Chowdhury, and their son Rashedul Islam.
Of the accounts, 16 are in the name of Maya, 36 in the name of Parvin, and 29 in the name of Rashedul.
The ACC plea alleged that movable assets had been acquired in the names of the accused.
It further stated that there was a possibility they might transfer or change ownership of the said assets and flee abroad to evade legal action.
鈥楾o prevent the misappropriated funds from being transferred, concealed, or embezzled while the investigation is ongoing, the freezing of the relevant bank accounts is essential,鈥� the petition added.
