Court Correspondent :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will issue an asset declaration notice against former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed and his family members.
“As part of the ongoing investigation against Benazir, an asset declaration notice will be issued under Section 26 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004,” a senior ACC official told the media.
If Benazir and his family members do not comply with the notice like their summons earlier, a case will be filed against them, he said, wishing anonymity.
Section 26 (1) of the ACC Act says: “Whenever the Commission, on any information and after conducting such [inquiry] as it may deem necessary, is satisfied that any person or any other person on his behalf is in possession or has acquired any property disproportionate to his legal source of income, the Commission may, by order in writing, direct that person to furnish statement of his assets and liabilities including any other information specified in that order in the manner prescribed by the Commission.”
Since the ACC began its investigation on April 18, a team has been searching for all assets associated with Benazir and his family.
Neither Benazir nor his family members appeared before the ACC on June 6 and June 9 as summoned. Instead, they sought extensions through their legal representatives. The ACC set June 23 to interrogate Benazir and his wife and two daughters on June 24.
Apart from this, the officer also mentioned that the ACC may pursue charges of illegal asset acquisition under Section 27 (2) of the ACC Act if the assets under investigation are found to exceed known sources of income.
According to Section 27(2) of the ACC Act: “If in any trial of an offence under sub-section (1), it is proved that the accused person or any other person on his behalf has acquired title or is in possession of property, movable or immovable, disproportionate to his known sources of income, the court shall presume, unless rebutted, that the accused person is guilty of said offence, and a conviction shall not be illegal as is based only on such presumption.”
Meanwhile, ACC Secretary Khorseda Yasmeen said the investigation is proceeding in accordance with legal guidelines.