ACC busy catching small loan defaulters instead of big ones: High Court
"Loan defaulters are not stronger than the law. So why not take action against defaulters?" said an High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is busy catching small loan defaulters instead of big ones, the High Court said on Sunday.
"Loan defaulters are not stronger than the law. So why is action not taken against defaulters?" an HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat asked the graft watchdog.
"Thousands of crores of taka are being defaulted on loans. Why don't you catch them (defaulters)? Will big debtors stay above justice? Will the wealthy remain out of touch?"
The High Court bench made the remarks during the hearing of an application seeking bail cancellation of ASM Hasanul Kabir, a former officer of Shahjalal Islami Bank, in the loan fraud case of Bismillah Group from the bank.
Lawyer MA Aziz Khan attended the hearing on behalf of the ACC.
Shahjalal Islami Bank's Eskaton branch manager Naqibul Islam filed a case against 12 people including Bismillah Group managing director Khwaja Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury with Ramna Police Station in 2013 regarding the taking away of Tk110 crore from the bank.
In 2015, 12 people including the bank's then-deputy manager ASM Hasanul Kabir and junior assistant vice president Jannatul Mawa were charged in the case.
In 2017, the trial court granted bail to these two people. Later, the ACC applied to the High Court to cancel the bail. In 2018, the High Court ordered an investigation into the case.
