ACC official took Tk 40 lakh bribe from me

Deputy Inspector General of police Mizanur Rahman, who is facing a probe by the Anti-Corruption Commission over allegation of amassing wealth illegally, has alleged that an enquiry officer took Tk 40 lakh as bribe with the false promise of exonerating him of all charges.

ACC began the probe in May last year. Mizan came under the spotlight in January last year when allegations arose that he forcibly married and tortured a woman. He was soon withdrawn from his post at Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

ACC appointed its Director Khandaker Enamul Basir to enquire into his wealth.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Mizan said, “In January this year, Basir called me to submit my salary statement. I submitted the salary statement of my 28-year-long career.”

“Basir then asked me to call his personal number as conversations on his official number is recorded,” he added.

“I bought him [Basir] a mobile set and a SIM card as well,” Mizan further claimed.

“Around January 10, Basir met me at Ramna Park and demanded Tk 50 lakh,” he said, adding, “Basir said he could clear all charges against me.”

Mizan said, “I gave him Tk 25 lakh on January 15 and Tk 15 lakh on February 25.”

Asked about the source of that money, Mizan said he borrowed Tk 10 lakh from one of his in-laws and provided the rest from his savings.

“On May 30, he [Basir] went to my wife’s shop at Police Plaza and said he had to submit a report accusing me, under the Anti-Corruption Commission’s pressure,” said Mizan, adding that he had a heated debate with Basir.

Under the Penal Code, bribing someone is a punishable offence.

Contacted, Basir said, “The allegation brought against me is baseless. I went to the shop to enquire into his wife’s wealth.”

A private television channel has aired a report showing footage of Basir’s visit to the shop.

Meanwhile, the ACC has formed a three-member committee headed by its secretary to investigate the matter, sources confirmed.

On April 25 last year, the anti-graft watchdog summoned DIG Mizan, as multiple media reports and other sources reported that he had amassed wealth illegally.

He was quizzed for about seven and a half hours over the allegation.

Other allegations had also surfaced against him: he picked up a 25-year-old woman in July 2017 and forcibly married her, and picked up a female news presenter of a private television channel at gunpoint in December of the same year.

DIG Mizan allegedly issued threats to journalists of two different media outlets while talking to a TV presenter over the phone.