The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday filed a case against 18 current and former officials of Bangladesh Railway on charges of embezzling over Tk 2 crore in the purchase of equipment.
The commission鈥檚 deputy assistant director Md Rokonuzzaman filed the case with the commission鈥檚 integrated district office in Rajshahi under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, said a press release.
The release said the case was filed against 18 current and former officials, including two former general managers of its west zone, on charges of embezzling over Tk 2.18 crore in the purchase of equipment during the 2018鈥�19 fiscal year.
The accused in the case include former general managers for west railway Khandaker Shahidul Islam and Mojibur Rahman, former COC Khairul Alam and Belal Hossain Sarkar, former chief commercial manager Mihir Kanta Guha, former deputy chief commercial manager Fuad Hossain Ananda,聽 former COPS AMM Shahnewaz, former deputy COPS Hasina Khatun, former FA & CAO Shariful Islam, Mashi-ul Hasan and Saraj Kanti Dev, additional FA & CAO Golam Rabbani, and聽 former assistant ACOS Jahid Kawsar, former DFA Shamoly Rani Ray and Alamgir Hossain.
According to the release, an ACC enforcement team conducted an operation at the railway ministry鈥檚 office following allegations of corruption in the purchase of locks, buckets, whistles and flags under the Bangladesh Railway (West Zone) modernisation project for the fiscal year 2018鈥�19.
The investigation, led by additional secretary Bhuban Chandra Biswas, revealed that contractors were paid Tk 5,590 per lock, though the actual market price, including VAT and profit, was Tk 173鈥攊ndicating misappropriation of Tk 10.83 lakh.
Similarly, the ministry paid Tk 1,890 per bucket, Tk 415 per whistle, and Tk 1,440 per flag, while the actual market prices were Tk 260, Tk 65, and Tk 98 respectively, causing a further loss of Tk 7.98 lakh.
Other irregularities were also detected in the purchase of 50 鈥榁IP curtains,鈥� in which Tk 44.41 lakh was embezzled, and in the purchase of wagon cards, luggage straps and office equipment that involved another Tk 1.28 crore.
In total, four tenders covering 17 categories of goods accounted for Tk 2.18 crore in alleged embezzlement.
According to the report, procurement committees and approving officers allegedly colluded with contractors to inflate prices by 15鈥�33 times the market rate.
Of 166 enlisted firms, only six were selected to submit tenders鈥攖he same firms that later received the work orders.
鈥楾he approving authorities could have cancelled or reissued the tenders, but instead approved them despite clear irregularities,鈥� the report said.
The commission鈥檚 Rajshahi office assistant director Amir Hossain said that a probe officer would be appointed soon to begin the next phase of investigation.