The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday filed three separate cases against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his company Aramit Cement, along with 28 others for embezzling and laundering 141.20 crore taka through fake bills and vouchers.
ACC Public Relations Department Deputy Director Md Aktarul Islam disclosed the information at the commission's regular media briefing.
According to the ACC, Aramit Cement PLC obtained money from the Jubilee Road branch of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC by submitting fake bills and vouchers in the name of purchasing raw materials for cement production, although no actual purchase or sale took place.
The commission alleged that 141.20 crore taka was withdrawn through 27 documents and subsequently transferred, moved and converted through different bank accounts before being laundered to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA) and other countries.
In the first case, the ACC alleged that 57.60 crore taka was embezzled on March 20 in 2018 through a document issued in the name of Imperial Trading, a customer of First Security Islami Bank PLC's Agrabad branch.
A total of 16 people have been accused in the case.
The second case concerns the embezzlement of 41.625 crore taka through 17 documents issued between April 4, 2018 and December 26, 2019, in the name of the same company, a customer of United Commercial Bank (UCB) PLC's Kamal Bazar branch. A total of 16 people have been made accused in this case.
The third case relates to the alleged embezzlement of 42.075 crore taka through nine documents between August 6, 2020 and March 28, 2021, through UCB's Sadarghat branch in Chattogram.
After deducting the customer's equity of 4.675 crore taka, the alleged embezzled amount stood at 42.075 crore taka. A total of 20 people have been accused in this case.
The ACC alleged that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, owner of Aramit Group and the then land minister, used his influence to facilitate the approval of loans from Islami Bank. Employees of Aramit Group were allegedly shown as owners of a fictitious supplier and the documents were subsequently approved.
The commission further alleged that the loan proceeds were transferred, moved and converted through various means before being withdrawn in cash, used to settle previous liabilities and allegedly transferred to the UAE.
According to ACC documents, assets were allegedly purchased in the UAE with the laundered money, which was later transferred to the UK, USA and other countries to acquire additional assets.
The ACC identified Saifuzzaman Chowdhury as the "ultimate beneficiary" of the alleged embezzlement and one of its key masterminds.
Rukmila Zaman, managing director of Aramit Cement and former chairman of UCB, has also been accused of involvement in the alleged activities. The ACC alleged that she used her influence to facilitate loan approvals from Islami Bank and helped to obtain approval for documents through fictitious suppliers, thereby assisting in the embezzlement and laundering of funds.
Aramit Cement's Chief Financial Officer Mohammad Shah Alam has been accused of submitting false applications and obtaining approval for documents despite the absence of any supply of goods. He allegedly subsequently assisted in transferring, moving and converting the funds, withdrawing them in cash, settling previous liabilities and laundering money to the UAE.
Aramit Cement AGM Md Abdul Aziz has been accused of applying in the name of Imperial Trading while posing as its owner and using it as a fictitious supplier to obtain approval for documents.
According to the ACC documents, he worked as an AGM of Aramit Group and also served as Saifuzzaman Chowdhury's personal assistant. He has also been accused of opening bank accounts, submitting false inspection reports and assisting in money laundering.
Another Aramit Cement AGM, AKM Maruf, has also been accused of obtaining approval for documents by submitting false applications despite the absence of any actual supply of goods.
Several officials of Islami Bank's Jubilee Road branch have also been named as accused. They include Md Zakir Hossain, Mohammad Abdul Haque, Muhammad Tanvir Hasan, Md Abdul Qader, Md Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, Muhammad Abdul Karim, Mohammad Akhtar Hossain, Mohammad Jamal Uddin, Muhammad Nizam Uddin, Md Ashraf Uddin, Mohammad Rashid Sadat, Aktarul Azim, Md Mohiuddin, Mohammad Khorshed Alam, Md Shahidullah, Mohammad Harun Al Rashid, Mohammad Mohsin Ali, Abul Kalam Azad and Sheikh Moniruzzaman.
The ACC also named Md Rubel Uddin, K A A M Yasir and Md Wahiduzzaman Chowdhury of United Commercial Bank's Kamal Bazar branch, as well as Md Emdadul Hasan and Khorshed Alam of the First Security Islami Bank's Agrabad branch, as accused.
According to the ACC, the concerned bank officials signed office notes, purchase orders, issuance instructions and other documents despite there being no supply of goods against the documents, thereby allegedly assisting the embezzlement.
The ACC further alleged that Md Abdul Aziz, the owner of Imperial Trading, was actually an AGM of Aramit Group and personal assistant to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Despite this, he was presented as a supplier, while inspection reports were submitted and bank accounts were opened in the company's name.
The commission said the accused subsequently failed to trace the actual destination of the funds and instead assisted in transferring, moving and converting the money, withdrawing it in cash, settling previous liabilities and laundering it to the UAE.