The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday summoned 15 accused, including former national cricket team captain and Awami League lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan, for questioning on November 25 and 26 in a case filed over stock-market manipulation, illegal transactions and money laundering.
The ACC director general Md. Akhter Hossain disclosed the information to the journalists during a regular media briefing at the commission headquarters in city's Segunbagicha area.
The case was filed on June 17 under Section 4 of the Money Laundering Prevention Act-2012, section 5(2) of the Corruption Prevention Act-1947 and Sections 409/420/467/468/120B/109 of the Bangladesh Penal Code.
According to the ACC, as part of the ongoing investigation, notices have been issued to all 15 accused to appear for questioning in phases. The former MP, Shakib Al Hasan has been asked to appear at the ACC headquarters at 10:00 am on November 26 to give his statement.
The prime accused in the case is Md. Abul Khair (Hiru), a deputy registrar at the Department of Cooperatives.
According to the ACC, Abul Khair violated Section -17 of the Securities and Exchange Ordinance-1969 and engaged in market manipulation for personal gain by conducting fraudulent 'series transactions,' deceptive 'active trading,' and 'gambling speculation' through his own interest-linked BO accounts.
By artificially inflating share prices, he lured general investors into the market. The ACC alleged that this caused a total loss of Taka 256,97,70,304 to investors.
The complaint further stated that Abul Khair transferred Tk 29,94, 42,185 allegedly gained through market manipulation to different channels with the help of his wife Kazi Sadia Hasan in an attempt to conceal the source of the funds. Additionally, suspicious transactions worth about Tk 542,31, 51,982 were detected in 17 bank accounts belonging to Abul Khair.
