ACC files case against DPDC official

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday approved submitting a charge sheet against Mahmuda Khatun and her husband Hujjat Ullah, a manager of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), in a case filed over alleged acquisition of assets beyond known sources of income.

According to ACC sources, the case was filed with the Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1 on July 8, 2024.

The accused Mahmuda Khatun resides at Flat-201 (first floor), House-16, Road-5, Block-C, Banasree Project, Rampura, Dhaka while their permanent address is in Betbari village under Gopalpur upazila of Tangail district, reports UNB.

The case was filed by Selina Akhter, former director of the ACC (currently on PRL), while ACC Deputy Assistant Director Md Rubel Hossain conducted the investigation.

According to the investigation report, Mahmuda Khatun’s net assets, excluding liabilities, amount to Tk 35,74,681.

Besides, she incurred family and other expenses worth Tk 27,34,492 from the 2004-05 to 2020-21 tax years. As a result, the total assets acquired in her name, including net assets and expenses, stand at Tk 63,09,173.

However, investigators found that her acceptable sources of income totalled only Tk 13,66,372 during the period.

This indicates that assets worth Tk 49,42,801 were acquired beyond her known sources of income, which the ACC said is inconsistent with her declared earnings.

According to the ACC, Mahmuda Khatun illegally acquired and possessed assets worth Tk 49,42,801, committing an offence punishable under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.

The investigation also found that she concealed information about assets worth Tk 8,11,600 and submitted false statements, which constitutes another offence under Section 26(2) of the same law.

Her husband Hujjat Ullah, manager (Administration) at DPDC, has also been accused in connection with the case, ACC officials said.