2 aides of ex-minister Saifuzzaman remanded in money laundering case
ACC's Mashiur Rahman stated that two laptops and two mobile phones, believed to contain crucial evidence of the laundering operations, were seized from the arrestees
A Chattogram court today (18 September) has placed two close aides of former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed on a five-day remand in a money laundering case as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleges that the two men were central operatives in a network that laundered thousands of crores of taka abroad.
ACC arrested the duo, identified as Md Abdul Aziz, 39, and Utpal Pal ,51, from the Double Mooring area of the port city last night (17 September).
They were produced before Chief Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Hasanul Islam this morning. The court granted a five-day remand after a hearing, confirmed ACC Deputy Director Mashiur Rahman.
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According to investigators, Utpal Pal, who served as an assistant general manager (AGM) of Aramit PLC and as the former minister's personal aide, allegedly managed Chowdhury's overseas properties and oversaw fund transfers from Bangladesh to Dubai, and later to the UK and other destinations.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz, also an AGM of Aramit PLC, acted as a custodian of properties purchased under Chowdhury's name.
ACC's Mashiur Rahman stated that two laptops and two mobile phones, believed to contain crucial evidence of the laundering operations, were seized from the arrestees.
The ACC's investigation into Chowdhury's assets has expanded to include new holdings in Malaysia, Thailand, and India, in addition to the previously confirmed properties in the United States, United Kingdom, and Dubai.
These developments come as the ACC filed a fresh case against Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and 10 others today, alleging charges of receiving Tk52 crore in bribes, fraud, and abuse of power.
According to ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam, the accused colluded to commit fraud by intimidating Abdul Kadir Molla, the managing director of Thermex Group, into paying Tk52 crore as bribes. The money was then transferred and laundered abroad. The accused in this case also include Chowdhury's wife, Rukmila Zaman, along with several executives from his business group.
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, a former Awami League lawmaker, served as state minister for land from 2014 to 2018 and as land minister from 2019 to 2023. Allegations of him amassing vast overseas wealth had surfaced ahead of the 2024 general election.
According to media reports, he reportedly fled to London with his family on 5 August last year, just before the fall of the Awami League government.
