HC hands over 4 NSU trustee members to police over Tk 304cr graft

After rejecting four separate bail petitions, the High Court on Sunday handed over four trustees members of the North South University (NSU) to police in connection with a corruption case involving embezzlement of fund Tk 303.82 crore.

The HC bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo asked the Shahbag police to arrest them and produce them before the magistrate court within 24 hours.

While rejecting their bail petitions, the HC bench observed that corruption and money laundering considered as more heinous crimes than that of murder at this time.

Soon after the HC order, police arrested NSU trustee board members Benajir Ahmed, MA Kashem, Rehana Rahman and Mohammed Shajahan, who sought anticipatory bail in connection with the case of embezzling Tk 303.82 crore of the university in the name of buying land for the campus.

On May 5, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sued NSU trustee board Chairman Azim Uddin Ahmed, members Benajir Ahmed, MA Kashem, Rehana Rahman and Mohammed Shajahan, and Ashaloy Housing and Developers Ltd Managing Director Amin Md Hilaly for embezzling Tk 303.82 crore of the university in the name of buying land for the campus.

According to the ACC, the accused misappropriated the money in the name of purchasing 9,096.88 decimals of land in Rupganj of Narayanganj in connivance with one another.

Earlier, the ACC initiated investigation into the trustees following a complaint filed by Dr Sufi Sagar Sams, adviser of the Protection for Legal and Human Rights Foundation.

The investigating officer of the ACC’s Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwari filed the case.

According to the Private University Act, 2010, the Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of a private university like North South University. According to the Memorandum of Association and Articles (Rules and Regulations) of the University, the University is a charitable, welfare oriented, non-commercial and non-profit educational institution.

The case states that over 9,088 decimals of land were bought in the name of campus development of NSU with the consent of some members of the Board of Trustees bypassing the approval of the University Syndicate, University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education.

They later withdrew cash from the buyer through cash checks in their own names and kept FDR in their own names.

They unjustly benefited themselves by committing illegal activities through misuse of power and embezzling university and government funds, according to the case.

In carrying out such illegal activities, they have committed a punishable offence by resorting to fraud and forgery and exchanging commissions.

Barrister Mizan Sayeed appeared for the petitioners while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the ACC during court proceedings.