Tk 500cr embezzlement
ACC starts Sonali scam probe
The Anti-Corruption Commission has started inquiry into an allegation of embezzlement of around Tk 500 crore from three more branches of Sonali Bank. The three branches are the Sonali Bank’s local office, Gulshan branch and Agargon branch, an ACC official told New Age.
The ACC on Monday formed a four-member inquiry team led by its deputy director Benazir Ahmed. The others members of the team are assistant directors Abu Hena Ashiqur Rahman and Gulshan Anwar Prodhan, and deputy assistant director Khandakar Nilufa Jahan.
According to the ACC official, Shamsur Nahar, owner of the Ruposhi Auto Rice Mill, embezzled around Tk 47.75 crore from the local office of Sonali Bank and some ‘signboard-based’ companies embezzled around Tk 450 crore from the Gulshan and Agargon branches of Sonali bank.
The ACC official said they had heard complaints that the Gulshan branch approved and disbursed
around Tk 106 crore in loans and advances in the last two and a half year through underhand dealings.
The Gulshan branch gave Tk 106 crore in credit to Limra General Trading by making accommodation bills. The branch showed exports and imports on paper to help the company withdraw the money although no such operation took place in reality, said the official.
The Green Printers Ltd had embezzled around Tk 141 crore by forging letters of credit.
For being connected with the embezzlements five Sonali Bank officials — three of Agargaon Branch and two of Gulshan — were temporarily suspended from their posts.
The ACC is also probing the loan scam in the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch of Sonali Bank, involving Tk 3,547 crore, which has created furore across the country. Of the huge amount, the Hallmark Group alone embezzled Tk 2,668 crore.
Courtesy of New Age
