Court orders confiscation of assets of Gemcon Group CEO Kazi Anis

A Dhaka court has ordered the confiscation of both movable and immovable assets, including bank accounts, belonging to Gemcon Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kazi Anis Ahmed, the brother of former Jashore-3 lawmaker Kazi Nabil Ahmed.

The same court has also imposed a travel ban on Anis, prohibiting him from leaving the country.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez issued the orders today (6 November) following hearings on two separate petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), confirmed the court's Bench Assistant Md Riaz Hossain.

According to court documents, the immovable assets include 49.43 acres of land across various districts, including Dhaka, and a plot in Gulshan, valued at around Tk7.20 crore in total.

The movable assets comprise Tk84.89 crore in 39 beneficiary owner (BO) accounts and Tk22.38 crore held in 20 bank accounts.

Earlier, ACC Assistant Director Al-Amin filed a petition seeking to freeze and confiscate the assets.

The ACC petition stated that Anis, in his capacity as the Gemcon CEO, had allegedly abused his authority to amass illegal wealth worth Tk80.35 crore, which is inconsistent with his known sources of income.

The petition further said that he had deposited Tk40.69 crore and withdrawn Tk38.45 crore from a total of 20 bank accounts operated in his name, jointly, or in the name of his business entities. These transactions appeared to be "abnormal and suspicious" compared to the scale of investment in his businesses.

The ACC alleged that Anis transferred, converted, and laundered a portion of these funds, which constitutes a punishable offence under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 27(1). 

Consequently, the commission filed a case against him under the Money Laundering Prevention Act on 19 September. 

The ACC stated that it is necessary to freeze and seize his movable and immovable assets, while ensuring he does not leave the country, to facilitate a fair and effective probe.