Whip Shamsul acquitted of ACC charges
Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, also a member of the parliament from Chattogram 12 constituency, has been cleared of graft accusations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
In 2019, based on the reports of various newspapers and following the complaints made by various individuals to the ACC, the organisation started investigating corruption allegations against several parliamentarians and government officials including Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury.
The ACC was looking into at least 15 separate complaints, including amassing illegal wealth. ACC found no evidence of the complaints lodged against him after a four-year investigation. The ACC also found no illegal wealth in possession of whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury.
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In a letter to Shamsul Haque Chowdhury on Monday (8 May), ACC Secretary Mahbub Hossain stated that the charge of obtaining illegal wealth against him has been dropped as it was not proved in the investigation.
Earlier, in April last year, a Chattogram court convicted a police inspector named Saif Amin for bringing false allegations of acquiring illegal wealth against the whip in a social media post. Whip filed a case against the police officer for spreading false information about him.
When contacted Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury told TBS, "I have respect for the country's judiciary, constitutional institutions, and media. The ACC has the authority to conduct inquiries and investigations against anyone. However, disclosing information in the media at the initial stage of an investigation without determining its veracity causes respectable persons in society to suffer social, political, and family embarrassment. Nevertheless, I applaud the ACC for conducting an impartial investigation."
The news of his acquittal soon spread in Patiya – the constituency of whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury. The people and political activists of Patiya have expressed satisfaction over the acquittal of Whip from the ACC charges.
Patiya Upazila Awami League President freedom fighter AKM Shamshuzzaman said, "There had been various conspiracies against Shamsul Haque Chowdhury. He has always faced these conspiracies along with the people of Patiya. No evidence of illegal acquisition of wealth was found against him. In this case, the truth has triumphed."
