ACC to scrutinise inconsistencies in aspirants' election affidavits: Chairman
The ACC chief also urged journalists to flag any credible evidence of major fraud or discrepancies
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will examine inconsistencies or suspicious information in the asset declarations of aspirant candidates in the upcoming national election, ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen said today (5 January).
Speaking at a view-exchange meeting with the newly elected committee of Reporters Against Corruption (RAC) at the ACC headquarters, Momen said the commission would act if irregularities emerge during scrutiny of election affidavits.
"I have requested the Election Commission to conduct its own examination. If any asset declaration appears suspicious, they should inform us," he said.
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The ACC chief also urged journalists to flag any credible evidence of major fraud or discrepancies.
Momen said the ACC would pursue such matters even amid legal constraints, provided specific information and primary evidence are available.
If necessary, he added, the commission would scale back other activities to prioritise verification of affidavit-related information.
However, he noted that investigations are bound by statutory time limits, making it unlikely that all inquiries could be completed before the elections.
"Even so, if concrete information and initial evidence are submitted, we will make every effort to initiate legal action promptly," he said.
Responding to a question on whether a separate committee would be formed to verify election affidavits, the ACC chairman said committees alone do not guarantee results, pointing out that many such bodies in the past failed to deliver.
