HC orders ACC to continue probing corruption allegation against Benazir, family

The High Court today ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to continue probing the corruption allegations against former IGP Benazir Ahmed, his wife, and two daughters and to submit updates before it by November 5.

After accepting a preliminary probe, the court also asked the commission to inform it by this period if any case is filed against them.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order while hearing a writ petition.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, who placed the preliminary report on behalf of the ACC on Sunday, told the HC bench that his client has found unusual and suspicious bank transactions of Benazir and his wife and two daughters in the primary inquiry.

The commission has collected relevant records and information about their properties, he said, adding that more information may be found in the complete inquiry.

In the preliminary probe report submitted to the HC on Sunday, the ACC said Benazir Ahmed, his wife, and two daughters amassed properties worth Tk 43.46 crore beyond known sources of income.

"From records and information received so far, Benazir Ahmed has movable and immovable assets worth Tk 9.25 crore, his wife Jissan Mirza Tk 21.34 crore, their eldest daughter Farheen Rishta Binte Benazir Tk 8.11 crore, and their second daughter Tahseen Raisa Binte Tk 4.76 crore worth of assets," the report said.

Following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Salahuddin Reagan, the HC bench on April 23 directed the ACC to submit a progress report on the inquiry into reported allegations of corruption against Benazir Ahmed.