The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against the owner of Apan Jewellers, Gulzar Ahmed, for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth around Tk30 crore.
ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Neyamul Ahsan Gazi filed the case at the ACC's integrated district office Dhaka-1 on Thursday.
ACC Assistant Director (Public Relations) Mohammad Shafiullah Adnan said Gulzar Ahmed submitted an asset statement on July 2 detailing approximately Tk73.38 crore, including fixed assets valued at Tk22.52 crore and movable assets worth Tk50.85 crore.
However, the ACC found in its investigation that Gulzar Ahmed's movable assets were worth Tk52.47 crore, more than Tk1.61 crore than what he had declared in his asset statement.
“Gulzar Ahmed concealed the information and provided false details, which is a punishable offence under Section 26(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004,” said Adnan.
Upon scrutinizing the records during the investigation, it was discovered that Gulzar Ahmed had amassed a total wealth of Tk83.26 crore, including fixed assets of Tk22.52 crore, movable assets of Tk52.47 crore, and family and other expenses of Tk8.26 crore.
According to the records, his liabilities amount to Tk11.44 crore.
Taking all of this into account, Gulzar Ahmed has been accused of amassing an excess wealth of Tk30.53 crore beyond his known sources of income, which is a punishable offence under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.
Gulzar Ahmed's alleged offences are punishable under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, prompting the commission to lodge a case against him.
The punishment for breaching section 26(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act is a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment, a monetary fine, or a combination of both.
On the other hand, violation of Section 27 (1) could lead to prison terms ranging from a minimum of three years to a maximum of ten years.
