Staff Reporter:
More than a dozen complaints accusing former law adviser Dr Asif Nazrul of corruption, money laundering and abuse of power have been submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), according to officials familiar with the matter.
The complaints include allegations of case and bail trading, irregularities in judicial appointments and other forms of corruption. Complainants have accused the former adviser of embezzling hundreds of crores of taka through the alleged misuse of authority. The ACC has started reviewing the allegations, sources said.
ACC Director General Mohammad Akhtar Hossain said the commission examines every complaint through a verification committee.
“When the ACC receives any complaint, a verification committee evaluates it. The committee scores the allegations out of 100 marks. If a complaint receives 80 marks or more, the commission accepts it for further investigation,” he told reporters.
A senior ACC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the complaints accuse Asif Nazrul of amassing large amounts of illegal wealth through bribery, corruption and abuse of power.
“The commission has received more than a dozen complaints accusing him of embezzling hundreds of crores of taka through different corrupt practices. The verification process is under way, and the commission will launch formal investigations if the allegations meet the criteria,” the official said.
Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said no one stands above the law and the ACC must ensure accountability if evidence supports the allegations.
“The ACC has its own verification committee. If the allegations prove credible, the authorities must ensure exemplary accountability,” he said.
The complaints also accuse Asif Nazrul of accepting large sums of money in exchange for granting bail in several high-profile cases. One allegation claims that he ordered bail for a VIP accused in a fraud case involving a corporate executive after receiving Tk20 crore.
Another complaint alleges financial transactions related to bail granted to a figure associated with Gaan Bangla Television. Complainants also accuse the former adviser of conducting bail trading repeatedly during his 18 months in office.
The allegations further claim that he accepted between Tk50 lakh and Tk2 crore for judicial postings and transfers in Dhaka and nearby areas. Additional complaints accuse him of profiting from transfers of sub-registrars and of laundering hundreds of crores of taka abroad.
Meanwhile, Asif Nazrul has denied the allegations and said in a Facebook post that he is completely innocent.
