Trial of ex-DIG Mizan, ACC director Basir begins

Trial of the bribery case against suspended deputy inspector general  (DIG) of Police Mizanur Rahman and suspended Anti-Corruption Commission  director Khandaker Enamul Basir began yesterday at a Dhaka court with  deposition of the complainant.

Judge  Shaik Nazmul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka recorded the  statement of complainant Sheikh Mohammad Fanafilya, director of ACC.

On completion of the deposition, the defence sought time to cross-examine the witness. The court fixed September 2 for the next hearing.

The same court on March 18 this year framed charges against the duo.

In  his statement, the witness said the ACC in May 2018 launched an enquiry  against ex-DIG Mizan on charges of accumulating illegal wealth. The  commission assigned Basir to carry out the enquiry on October 25 the  same year. He took over the charge of inquiry on October 29.

Basir  took Tk 40 lakh as bribe from Mizan in two instalments.

On January 15  last year, Basir took Tk 25 lakh at Shahjahanpur and February 25 last  year 15 lakh at Shantinagar with promises of exonerating Mizan of the  charges.

Mizan later  brought allegations in media on June 9 last year that Basir took bribe  from him, and produced audio clips of conversation between them.

Basir  was suspended from his post by ACC the following day. But he had denied  the allegations, saying the audio clip was fabricated.

ACC later removed Basir from the enquiry, and on June 13 formed a three-member committee to verify Mizan's claim. The committee, led by him, found the allegations to be true and the audio clip genuine, the complainant continued.

The commission then gave an approval for filing a case against the duo on July 16 last year. The  same day, the complainant filed a case with its Integrated District  Office-1 of Dhaka against them for a transaction of Tk 40 lakh as bribe.

On  January 15, the ACC submitted a charge sheet against them for their  alleged involvement in taking and giving the Tk 40 lakh bribe.