The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed two separate cases against Utpal Kumar Dey, Public Works Department additional chief engineer, and his wife Gopa Dey for embezzling around Tk8 crore and laundering money.
One case has been filed against Utpal while another case has been lodged against Utpal and his wife Gopa Dey, confirmed Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, public relations officer of the ACC.
Earlier on July 28, ACC decided to sue the couple.
ACC Assistant Director Neyamul Hasan Gazi filed the case.
PWD Additional Chief Engineer Kumar allegedly took bribes from GK Shamim and amassed illegal wealth worth around TK8 crore. His wife, Gopa, allegedly helped him with the money laundering, said an ACC official.
However, the ACC probe team upon inquiry also found illegal wealth allegedly amassed by Gopa Dey.
On September 25, 2019, the Housing and Public Works Ministry made Additional Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department Utpal Kumra Dey an officer on special duty (OSD) for their involvement in manipulating tender and helping contractor Golam Kibria alias GK Shamim, and over a bribery scandal in the department.
On the same day, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) asked Bangladesh Bank to freeze the accounts of Utpal and Gopa, and provide details of their accounts.
GK Shamim who was arrested during the “casino raid” in Bangladesh which was dubbed by the government as a “clean up drive” late last year is now in police custody.
On September 20, RAB arrested Shamim for alleged extortion and tender manipulation.
The same year on December 10, the ACC summoned 11 Public Works Department (PWD) engineers for allegedly assisting GK Shamim in getting tenders and amassing illegal wealth.
ACC Director Sayeed Iqbal Hossain sent a notice asking them to appear at its headquarters for interrogation.