After several court orders, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed cannot help but face the court since there is no way left for him to avoid the legal process.
As per the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 and rules, any court order to seize immovable and movable assets of a person comes into effect instantly. As a result, there is no way Benazir can now transfer or hand over the properties in question.
The ex-IGP cannot make any bank transactions without a fresh court order in this regard.
A Dhaka court first on May 23 ordered the authorities to confiscate all moveable and immovable properties of Benazir in connection with the allegations of corruption brought against him.
Of them, 33 bank accounts were frozen and properties of 83 deeds were attached.
On Sunday, the same court in the latest hearing ordered the seizure of various property documents, flats, and partial shares of a company in the names of the former IGP, his wife Zeeshan Mirza, and their daughters Farheen Rishta Binte Benazir and Tahsin Raisa Binte Benazir.
Benazir was back in the news on March 31 as a national daily published a report alleging that Benazir Ahmed had amassed illegal wealth. Subsequent reports in other media outlets echoed these allegations.
The reports claimed that Benazir owned expensive flats, houses, and substantial land in Dhaka's elite areas. His two daughters reportedly hold 200,000 shares in Best Holdings Limited and the five-star hotel Le Meridien. Additionally, they possess duplex houses spread over 40 kathas in Purbachal, valued at around Tk45 crore. There is also another 10 bighas of land worth Tk22 crore in the same area.
However, during his 34 years and seven months of service, Benazir Ahmed's total salary and allowances amounted to Tk1,84,89,200.
A writ was filed with the High Court seeking an investigation into the alleged corruption of Benazir on April 22.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman, secretary, and four other individuals were named as defendants in the writ.
On April 22, the ACC formed a committee to investigate corruption allegations against the former police chief and his family members. The decision was taken at a meeting of the commission on April 18.
The committee members are ACC Deputy Director Hafizul Islam, and assistant directors Neamul Hasan and Joynal Abedin.
On April 20, Benazir broke his silence over the allegations and challenged the news reports involving him.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Benazir vehemently denied the accusations, labelling them as false and defamatory.
Addressing the allegations made against him and his family, Benazir said: “I retired from the job almost two years ago and have been living a quiet life since then. However, certain groups on social media have persistently defamed me, spreading false information.”
ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir previously told Bangla Tribune that no immovable assets belonging to Benazir have been confiscated as yet.
“Those have been attached while his immovable assets have been frozen,” he said.
“After the May 23 court order, the move will be considered effective. If he disobeys the court order, Benazir will be accused of contempt of court,” Jahangir said.
As of Sunday evening, Benazir made no comments on the court orders despite contesting the media reports on April 20.
Benazir could not be reached over the phone, but his lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque said: “They have yet to take any decision (over the legal measures).
“But we’ll decide in a day or two on when to move the High Court,” he said.