PSC question leak: Court orders freeze on BO accounts of Abed Ali, 3 others
Preliminary investigations and interrogations revealed that Abed Ali and his associates have been systematically leaking question papers for various recruitment exams from 2003 to 2024
A Dhaka court today (5 April) ordered the freezing of five beneficiary owner (BO) accounts belonging to Syed Abed Ali, the former chauffeur of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) chairman, and three others in connection with a massive recruitment examination question leak scandal.
The order was passed by the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz following an application by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The other individuals whose accounts were ordered frozen are Abu Solaiman Md Sohel, Jahangir Alam, and Md Mahbubur Rahman.
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In the application, Additional Special Superintendent of Police Suman Kumar Saha of the CID's Cyber Investigations and Operations unit stated that the accused are members of an organised criminal syndicate.
Preliminary investigations and interrogations revealed that Abed Ali and his associates have been systematically leaking question papers for various recruitment exams from 2003 to 2024, he said, adding that the syndicate allegedly amassed vast amounts of illegal wealth through these activities, which they subsequently converted into movable and immovable assets.
The CID argued that the freezing of these shares and accounts is essential for a fair investigation under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.
Over the last 12 years
The move follows a detailed confessional statement made by Abed Ali in 2024, where he admitted to guaranteeing employment for job seekers in exchange for payments ranging from Tk18 lakh to Tk20 lakh.
The syndicate typically charged an advance of Tk2 lakh to Tk5 lakh before providing leaked questions and answers in rented houses or hotels across Dhaka a day or two before the examinations.
The investigation has uncovered that the gang was involved in leaking questions for at least 30 exams over the last 12 years, including the 45th Bangladesh Civil Service preliminary and the railway sub-assistant engineer recruitment exam.
According to court records, the syndicate operated with the help of mid-level BPSC officials, including former deputy director Abu Zafar, who allegedly provided question papers from senior officials' trunks in exchange for large sums of money.
Following the arrest of 17 individuals by the CID, the BPSC suspended five of its employees, including deputy directors Abu Zafar and Jahangir Alam, and assistant director Alamgir Kabir.
