Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Thursday ordered to freeze 33 financial accounts, including 27 bank accounts of former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, to facilitate the proper investigation into graft allegations against him.
The court also ordered attaching the properties of the former IGP under 83 deeds in Cox鈥檚 Bazar and Gopalganj districts, according to ACC officials.
Senior Special Judge Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain passed the order.
In the order, the court asked the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the managing directors of the 27 banks not to allow anyone to withdraw money from their bank accounts.
The court also asked the assistant commissioners [land] and sub-registrars of Gopalganj Sadar, Kotalipara in Gopalganj, and Taknaf in Cox鈥檚 Bazar not to allow anyone to hand over or exchange the attached land properties of Benazir.
On April 18, ACC, at its commission鈥檚 meeting, decided to carry out an inquiry against Benazir for allegedly illegal wealth.
Later, a three-member inquiry team, led by its deputy director, Hafizul Islam, was also formed to carry out the inquiry into Benazir and his family members.
Newspapers and electronic media have recently reported on Benazir and his family鈥檚 alleged amassing of illegal wealth.
The reports highlighted the lavish lifestyle of the Benazir family and his holding of shares in different companies.
According to the reports, his 鈥榰nusual assets鈥� did not match the legal sources of income of the former IGP, who received from the government 鈥楽huddhachar Purashkar鈥欌�攁n award given for honesty, morality, and proper financial management, among others.
The reports triggered widespread criticism of Benazir Ahmed and his family members.
In a Facebook post, Benazir, however, claimed the media reports about him amassing illegal wealth were false, distorted, and motivated.
鈥楳y family and my name have been falsely mentioned in reports published in newspapers,鈥� he added.
Following media reports, independent lawmaker Sayedul Huque Sumon submitted an application to the ACC chairman seeking necessary action against the former IGP.
Md Salah Uddin Reagan,聽 a Supreme Court lawyer, also filed a writ petition with the High Court, requesting the court to direct the ACC to investigate the allegations.
Benazir joined the police force as an assistant superintendent of police in February 1988.
In April 2020, he was promoted to the post of IGP after serving as commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and director general of the Rapid Action Battalion.
On December 10, 2021, the United States declared the then IGP Benazir ineligible for entry to the country for 鈥榞ross violations of human rights鈥� while serving as RAB director general.
