ACC found Benazir 'involved in passport fraud': Sources
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has uncovered passport forgery by former inspector general of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, according to sources in the watchdog.
Benazir obtained his passport as a non-government employee hiding his police identity. When detected during renewal, he used illegal influence to avoid facing any consequences, said the sources.
Benazir never obtained a "blue" official passport as a government employee and despite having the opportunity, he did not opt for the "red" passport either, they said.
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The ACC obtained the information after questioning 15 officials of the Department of Immigration and Passports, including two additional directors, regarding Benazir's passport.
A team led by ACC Deputy Director Hafizul Islam interrogated them at ACC headquarters in Dhaka for over three hours today.
However, no official on record agreed to state anything regarding this development.
The former IGP, who reportedly departed the country with his family on 4 May, was scheduled to appear before the anti-graft body on 6 June for questioning regarding the accumulation of a large amount of wealth beyond known sources of income.
However, the ACC investigation team extended the deadline to 23 June following a request from the former IGP's lawyer, seeking an additional 15 days to respond to the summons notice.
As he did not show up on 23 June for questioning, ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmin said the anti-corruption watchdog will pursue further legal action against him.
Benazir served as IGP from April 2020 to September 2022 and as director general of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from January 2015 to April 2020. He also held the position of Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for a long time.
Following media reports regarding Benazir's alleged illegal assets, the ACC submitted a petition to a Dhaka court to investigate the matter.
On 19 May, the court ordered the disclosure of all properties listed in 119 documents under Benazir and his family members' names.
On 23 May, the same Dhaka court ordered the seizure of 345 bighas of property listed in 83 documents under Benazir and his family members' names.
