‘ACC’s inquiry officials responsible for loss of Jaha Alam’

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today submitted its probe report to the High Court stating that Jaha Alam was identified as Abu Salek by their investigation officers mistakenly.

"It seems that Jaha Alam was identified as Abu Salek because of the faults of investigation officials," said the report prepared by ACC’s Director (legal wing) Abul Hasnat Md Abdul Wadud.

Investigation officers of the anti-graft watchdog are responsible for the irreparable loss of jute mill worker Jaha Alam, who had languished in jail for three long years due to being wrongly identified in graft cases, said the report.

ACC’s lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan submitted the report to a High Court bench and prayed for time for the hearing of the report.

Upon his plea, the HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and KM Kamrul Kader fixed Tuesday for next hearing.

In 2012, the ACC filed 33 cases against a number of individuals over misappropriation of about Tk 18.5 crore from the Sonali Bank. In 26 of the cases, one Abu Salek, a businessman, was accused. But ACC identified Jaha Alam as Salek.

When the issue of Jaha Alam’s innocence surfaced in media, the HC intervened and ordered to release Jaha Alam. He was released from Kashimpur Central Jail 2 in Gazipur on February 4 this year.

ACC then assigned Wadud to investigate the matter.