Several ruling party MPs under scanner: ACC

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Bangla Tribune Desk
Published : 21:15, Jul 20, 2019 | Updated : 21:59, Jul 20, 2019

ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood addresses a seminar in Dhaka on Saturday, July 20, 2019. FOCUS BANGLAThe Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is probing corruption allegations levelled against several elite figures including 10 to 15 ruling party lawmakers, and ministers, its chairman Iqbal Mahmood has said.
In addition to them, investigation is underway against 15 men of a political party while 12 of another one, the ACC boss said at a seminar on Saturday (Jul 20), according to media reports.
Some 25 persons from another party involved in business, and 15 public servants from secretary to joint secretary levels are also under the scanner, he added.
However the chairman did not disclose the name or level of the ruling party men.
The ant-graft watchdog chief made the comment at a seminar titled “The Role of Lawyers and the Judiciary in Curbing Corruption”, organised by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) in Dhaka.
Mahmood made the comment against criticism that his commission hardly act when an allegation is raised against ruling party men, and also it cannot take any action against any big fish.
The ACC chairman, however, denied making the controversial remark "corruption committed in good faith is not an offence as per the law."
“You all do have video clip of the comment I made. I have not spelled corruption, you may check that. How the corruption word was there I have no idea,” he said.
"I am not ready to give any explanation, as it is their responsibility who added the word "corruption" in my speech, not my obligation," he further said.
It was alleged that, while talking to reporters after attending a session on the last day of the five-day Deputy Commissioners' (DC) conference at the Cabinet Division, the ACC hairman, on Thursday, said he told the DCs that the corruption committed in good faith by officers was not an offence as per the law.
The ACC chairman reiterates that his comment was taken out of context, and the word “corruption” was added by someone, and it was not uttered by him.

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