Accused of embezzling and smuggling Tk 36 crore 37 lakh abroad: ACC case against 3 persons including ex-MD of Ojopadico and officials of Chinese company.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against the former managing director of West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (Ozopadico) Shafiq Uddin, company secretary Abdul Motaleb and 3 others for embezzling and smuggling a total of Tk 36 crore 37 lakh from the power sector through abuse of power and corruption. . Tarun Kanti Ghosh, Assistant Director of ACC Khulna Integrated District Office, filed the case at the ACC Khulna office as the plaintiff on Wednesday. Ye Wenjun, an official of the Chinese firm Hexing, has also been charged in the case. Out of this, the case was filed alleging embezzlement of Tk 33.40 million and attempted smuggling of Tk 2.97 million abroad. ACC Khulna assistant director Tarun Kanti Ghosh confirmed the case.
Accused Shafiq Uddin is a former board member and managing director of Bangladesh Smart Electrical Co. (BSECO), Abdul Motaleb is a former board member and director (finance) of the same organization and Mr. Ye Wenjun is a former country representative of China Hexing Electrical Company Limited and Bangladesh Smart Electrical. Co. (BSECO)’ Former Deputy Managing Director. The case mentions that the said persons colluded with each other to conduct LCs in the service sector through abuse of power and corruption. 18 lakh 65 thousand 787 taka in the name of Hexing Electrical Company Limited of China, 6 lakh 99 thousand 670 taka for repair training, 5 crore 52 lakh for salary and allowances by employing people to provide project management and technical support services despite not providing any training. 17 thousand 500′ paid, 721 lakh 32 thousand 234 rupees for three years warranty on prepaid meter, 1 crore 29 lakh 97 thousand 350 rupees for another LC for project management and technical support services, despite not providing training. 25 lakh 48 thousand 500 rupees again in another LC, BSECO is supposed to provide technical service within 3 years after installation of meter, but again for receiving the said service, 62 lakh 69 thousand 310 rupees to Hexing, 18 crore 14 lakh 62 thousand in LC related to service. 852 taka, payment of taka 3 lakh 97 thousand 765 in favor of Ye Wenjun without any bill voucher, total of taka 33 crore 40 showing expenditure through bank checks of taka 2 lakh 16 thousand 361 and taka 2 lakh 17 thousand 50 in his name at different times even though Ye Wenjun was not in the country. 24 thousand 379 lakh taka embezzled and former Managing Director (MD) of BSECO. According to the instructions of Shafiq Uddin, DMD Ye Wenjun and Director (Finance) Abdul Motaleb in connivance with each other through criminal breach of trust and abuse of power to embezzle government 3 lakh 50 thousand US dollars which is 2 crore 97 lakh 32 thousand 500 Bangladeshi taka and attempt to smuggle abroad section 409/109 of the Penal Code. He has also committed an offense punishable under Section 5 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 and Section 4 (2) of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012.
Tarun Kanti Ghosh, assistant director of ACC Khulna, said that the ACC authorities will appoint an investigation officer to investigate the complaints of the mentioned accused, after which the matter will be submitted to the court.
