Court freezes 7 bank accounts of Independent TV editor Shamsur Rahman, associates

A Dhaka court today (2 November) ordered the freezing of seven bank accounts belonging to M Shamsur Rahman, editor and CEO of Independent Television, and his associates.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir passed the order following an application filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

ACC lawyer Tarikul Islam confirmed the matter.

Earlier, ACC Deputy Director Muhammad Zainal Abedin filed the application seeking to freeze the accounts.

According to the application, Salman F Rahman, former private industry and investment adviser to the prime minister and chairman of Beximco Group, and others allegedly defrauded shareholders of thousands of crores of taka through placement share manipulation and fraud.

They are also accused of using undue influence to obtain loans worth around Tk36,000 crore from different public and private banks, misappropriating the funds and laundering thousands of crores of taka abroad.

The application said an allegation against M Shamsur Rahman over acquiring assets beyond his known sources of income and laundering money abroad was later tagged with the investigation.

During the inquiry, the ACC obtained information about bank accounts held in Shamsur Rahman’s name that were linked to the allegations.

The application further said reliable sources had indicated that attempts were being made to transfer, move or convert funds from the accounts.

It said that if such attempts succeeded, they could frustrate the purposes of the inquiry, including filing a case, submitting a charge sheet to the court and, following trial, confiscating assets acquired with proceeds of crime in favour of the state.

Under the circumstances, the ACC said freezing the bank accounts of Shamsur Rahman and his associates was necessary in the interest of a proper investigation and justice.