ACC files charge sheet against ex-BNP MP Falu, 2 others for money laundering

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has pressed charges against three people including former BNP lawmaker Mohammad Mosaddak Ali Falu, for smuggling Tk183.92 crore to Dubai through offshore companies.

The two other accused are RAK Paints Limited Director SAK Ikramuzzaman and Star Ceramics Private Limited Director Syed AK Anwaruzzaman.

ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar filed the charge sheet in a case under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 on Thursday, an official of the commission told Dhaka Tribune.

All but Falu are now on bail. Falu, the owner of the NTV, was shown "fugitive" in the charge sheet as he did not appear before the court. 

Meanwhile, the name of Md Amir Hossain, former director of RAK Consumer Products Ltd and Star Ceramics Private Ltd, was dropped from the chargesheet as the charges against him could not be proven.

Also Read - Court orders ACC to seize Tk343cr worth property of Falu

A former advisor to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, Falu was previously arrested in 2015 in connection with arson cases. In 2014, he was fined Tk1 crore for share market manipulation in 2009, based on recommendations by an investigation committee led by former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Khondokar Ibrahim Khaled.

According to the ACC, in 2010, the accused opened offshore companies Al Medina International Limited, Three Star Limited and Development EU in Dubai, and siphoned off Tk183.92 crore.

They did not take permission from Bangladesh Bank to operate these companies in Dubai an failed to provide documents when asked by the anti-graft body.

According to the ACC, Falu amassed illegal wealth for malicious purposes through abuse of power and corruption during the BNP-Jamaat led government in 2001-06.

In 2019, a Dhaka court ordered the commission to seize Tk343 crore worth property from him.