Tk 25 Rupali Bank Loan Scam
2 BNP leaders, 7 bank officials charge-sheeted by ACC
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) in Barisal has submitted charge sheet against against seven Rupali Bank officials and two local BNP leaders in the Tk 25 core loan scam of the bank.
The charge was submitted to Barisal Chief Judicial Magistrate court Sunday night by AKM Fazlul Huq, assistant director and ACC investigation officer. The case may be forwarded to the Sessions Judge's court this week for trial, court sources said yesterday.
The charge-sheeted nine persons are Jannatun Nesa Nayon, secretary of Barisal city Jatiotabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JSS) and managing director of Ambia Memorial Hospital and Diagnostic Limited (AMHDL); her huisband businessman Syed Md. Yunus alias Tube Well Yunus, a BNP leader and chairman of hospital; Shamsur Rahman, former manager of Rupali Bank's Nathullabad branch; its loan officer Makbul Hossain; its former manager of Sadar road branch Abdul Khalek; second officer Shamsul Azad; and Abdur Rob, principal officer of the bank's regional office in Barisal; its audit and inspection officials Biplob Ghosh and Habibur Rahman
Syed Md. Yunus was the guranter of the loans. Nayan is also presoident of Jatiotabadi Mahila Dal in ward no. 18 in the city.
Earlier, an inquiry committee formed by Rupali Bank's head office investigated the matter after it was reported in the media in February 2006.
The probe was done by Abdul Mannan, the bank's assistant general manager at its head office and senior principal officer Abul Kashem. They submitted their report on March 14, 2006.
After the probe, the bank authorities lodged two cases against Nayon and her associates including some bank officials and the guarantor. Actios including dismissal, suspension and transfer were also taken against some bank officials after the probe ascertaibned the loan scam.
The cases were transferred to ACC in December alst year for investigation.
Syed Yunus, arrested by RAB on October 25 last year from Dhaka, during interrogation while on remand confessed to his involvement in the scam. He later obtainef bail from High Court.
Yunus had told the interrogators about the role of some bank officials and blessings of former BNP lawmaker and the then director of Rupali Bank Hafiz Ibrahim in sanctioning the loans. Some of the officials got handsome 'commission' in granting the loans, he told the interrogators.
The 100-bed provate hospital in the city was inaugurated on March 12, 2006 by former BNP lawmaker and Barisal City Corporation mayor Majibur Rahman Sarwar.
ACC sources said Yusus was wanted for long by the ACC task force for allegedly misappropriating cores of taka bank loans and collecting bills from government offices without doing any project work.
Yunus also faces three other cases, filed by Public Health Engineering Department.
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