Dhaka: The High Court has ruled that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) does not have the power to freeze a person's bank account or seize property without the permission of the court.
The verdict was published on Wednesday (August 25) after the signature of Justice M Inayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman of the High Court bench.
The verdict said that if anyone wants to seize property or freeze bank accounts, the concerned ACC official has to apply to a senior special judge or judicial court. If the court is satisfied with the order on the basis of sufficient evidence, then there is an opportunity to freeze the bank account or seize the property even if the property has been possessed through an unlawful way.
It was further said that no investigating officer of the ACC can instruct anyone to freeze their bank accounts. Subject to the approval of the commission, there is an opportunity to freeze bank accounts by court order.
Incidentally, the ACC has sent a letter to the concerned bank instructing it to freeze the bank account of a person named Belayet Hossain in Cox's Bazar. A writ petition was filed in the High Court regarding the validity of the letter. The High Court in its judgment declared the letter sent to the concerned bank as unlawful.
As a result, the letter issued by the concerned ACC official in this case to seize the bank account is not only motivated, unauthorized and illegal, but also an abuse of power, the verdict said.