The Anti-Corruption Commission is likely to serve notices to several Sonali Bank officials for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Tk1.5bn by way of the sugar importing operations of Partex Sugar Mill, an accofficial said.
A seven-member probe body led by accsenior Deputy Director SM Akhter Hamid Bhuiyan is now investigating the allegation.
The embezzlement was first detected by an internal probe jointly conducted by Bangladesh Bank and Sonali Bank.
Bangladesh Bank forwarded a letter to acc,asking it to investigate the issue.
According to the probe report, Partex Sugar Mill, a concern of Partex Group, opened two letters of credit (LC) worth Tk1.5bn in the Bangabandu Avenue branch of Sonali Bank in 2011.
The company deposited only Tk0 .0742bn against the lc.
Moreover, the business company has not deposited any money from the sales of imported sugar, indicating embezzlement that created financial loss for the bank. After analysing payment against document (PAD), Partex Sugar Mill owes Sonali Bank Tk1.36bn.
The probe team recently served a letter to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sonali Bank Pradip Kumar Dutta seeking certain documents, particularly regarding information about former deputy general manager of the branch Md Mejbah Uddin, currently working at International Finance Division.
The probe body also asked for documents of deferred letter of credit for 2010 and 2011, shipment documents related to sugar import of Tk1.5bn, approval letter for granting loan to Partex Sugar Mill from Sonali Bank head office and a copy of inspection, audit and investigation report (if any).
Sonali Bank submitted all the documents to the accheadquarters last Thursday, said the official.
After analyzing the documents, the commission is likely to serve notices to a few Sonali Bank officials later this week.
