ACC seeks wealth statements of Papul, 3 others

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked Laxmipur-2 constituency lawmaker Kazi Papul and three of his close associates to submit their wealth statements.

ACC Director Akhtar Hossain Azad issued separate notices on Wednesday, asking them to submit statements of their all movable and immovable properties, liabilities and income sources within 21 working days, ACC Director Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya confirmed.

Mayor of Raipur municipality of Laxmipur Ismail Khokan, Altaf Hossain Hawlader and Kazi Mohammed Jamshed Kabir, along with Papul, have been served the notice.

Previously, the ACC issued a notice asking Selina Islam, wife of Papul, and their daughter Wafa Islam to submit their wealth statements on Tuesday.

The ACC filed a case on 11 November against Papul, his wife Selina Islam – also a lawmaker from reserved women seats, their daughter Wafa Islam and Papul's sister-in-law Jesmin Akhter on charges of money laundering and amassing illegal wealth.

They were accused of conducting illegal transactions worth Tk148 crore and concealing information about properties worth around Tk2.31 crore.

Kazi Papul was arrested in Kuwait on 6 June this year on charges of human trafficking and money laundering.

Later, he not only confessed his involvement into the aforementioned activities but also into illegal visa trading and bribing Kuwaiti officials, reported the country's media.

Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti court began trialling lawmaker Papul and other accused on 17 September, after rejecting his plea for release in the case.

The Kuwaiti criminal court, headed by Counsellor Abdullah Al-Othman, also ordered detention of three other Bangladeshi nationals accused in the case, who were previously released by the prosecution.

According to Kuwaiti media reports, the country's lawmakers Saadoun Hammad and Salah Khorshid allegedly took bribes from Kazi Papul to help the latter conduct his businesses in Kuwait.

Thirteen people were accused in the case filed in Kuwait, including Major General Mazen Sheikh Mazem Al Jarrah, assistant under-secretary of the interior ministry of Kuwait.