ACC resumes probe into Sonali loan scam

Dhaka: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has resumed its probe into the non-funded part of the much-talked-about Sonali Bank loan scam.
The Commission at a recent meeting appointed its senior deputy director Mir Zainul Abedin Shibli as a team leader to launch a probe into the non-funded part of Sonali Bank loan scam, ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said on Thursday.
The meeting, however, did not appoint other members of the team.
In July last, the ACC decided to resume its probe into the loan scam since the Sonali Bank authorities in its internal probe found that some 37 commercial banks were involved in the non-funded part of the loan scam.
According to official sources, the Foreign Exchange Division of Sonali Bank handed over a 6,000-page probe report to the Commission on June 16, 2015.
On April 7, 2014, the ACC revoked its ongoing probe into the non-funded part of loan scam saying it was out of the commission’s jurisdiction.
Hall-Mark Group swindled out a total of Tk 3,547 crore from the Sonali Bank—both funded and non-funded ones.
The controversial group swindled out Tk 1,568 crore from the bank’s Ruposhi Bangla branch in cash while it plundered Tk 1,709 crore from different private banks, showing Sonali Bank clearances.
In the non-funded part, Hall-Mark Group plundered Tk 1,709 crore from 37 commercial banks, including 25 private banks, five foreign banks and seven government-owned banks.
On October 4, 2012, the ACC filed 11 cases against 27 officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group on charge of swindling out Tk 1,568 crore from the bank’s Ruposhi Bangla branch in cash.
On September 16, 2013, the ACC approved 11 charge-sheets against 25 people for the embezzlement of the money from Sonali Bank.
In January 2013, the national anti-graft body filed another 26 cases against 35 top officials of Sonali Bank and five business firms, including 17 of the bank, for swindling out over Tk 350 crore from it.