CMP recommends suspension of ADC Kamrul over graft accusations

Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has written to the police headquarters in Dhaka recommending the suspension of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-Crime) Mohammad Kamrul Hasan after an internal police probe confirmed his involvement in corruption.

The recommendation of the suspension followed a court order confiscating his and his wife’s wealth worth Tk11 crore earlier.

Abdul Mannan Mia, additional police commissioner (crime and operations) of the CMP, confirmed the matter on Thursday night, saying that the internal probe body quizzed ADC Kamrul and others about the alleged corruption.

“The results of the probe, including recommendation of the suspension of ADC Kamrul has been sent to the police headquarters,” he said.

Accused Kamrul is now attached to the Public Order Management Division of the CMP, and earlier he was posted at the prison (prosecution) of the Chattogram Metropolitan Court.

“Along with Kamrul, the CMP recommended taking punitive actions against the then prison’s inspector, Atiqur Rahman,” said Abdul Mannan Mia. 

According to the probe report, Kamrul, during his tenure in charge of the hajatkhana at the metro court, allegedly withdrew about Tk13.31 lakh from the government treasury from 2021 to June 2023. These funds were claimed as food bills for the detainees in the custody of the metro court and were reportedly taken through corrupt practices.

On 9 July, a Chattogram court ordered the seizure of assets worth over Tk11 crore of ADC Kamrul and his wife, Saima Begum. 

The court ordered the confiscation of assets worth Tk11,34,35,919 crore, which was acquired allegedly beyond the couple’s known sources of income.

According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sources, Kamrul joined the Bangladesh Police Department in 1989 as a sub-inspector and was finally promoted to the current position. 

During the investigation, it was found that Kamrul had acquired assets worth Tk13,96,31,911 crore, including movable assets worth Tk12,72,92,695 crore and immovable assets worth Tk1,23,39,216 crore. 

In contrast, Kamrul’s legitimate sources of income amounted to Tk4,80,32,087 crore, revealing a disparity of Tk9,86,28,065 crore. He was found to have accumulated assets worth Tk97,322,044 beyond his known income sources. 

Similarly, Saima Begum has assets worth Tk2.53 crore, including immovable assets worth Tk1.25 lakh and movable assets worth Tk1.99 crore. 

Against the acquisition of this wealth, her legitimate and acceptable income source was Tk40,14,433 lakh. The investigation found assets worth Tk1,62,85,188 crore beyond her known sources of income.

After its preliminary investigation, the ACC found sufficient evidence of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income and submitted an application to the court to seize these assets under Section 26(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, said the ACC lawyer.