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Probe body summons Sircar, Akhtar, Delwar

Asks them to app.ear on June 10 to explain graft allegations

SHAKHAWAT LITON and RASHIDUL HASAN
The all-party parliamentary body probing alleged graft in parliament secretariat yesterday summoned former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, his deputy Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain to appear before it on June 10.
Before hearing the three, the committee will meet on May 31 to discuss the findings of the three sub committees formed to investigate the allegations of anomalies and corruption during the seven years' tenure of Sircar.
At a meeting yesterday, the probe commit tee accepted reports of two sub-committees.
Of the two reports, both submitted on May 5, one recommends taking stern legal measures against the three for drawing over Tk 35 lakh as medical expenses violating laws.
The other one suggested action against the former speaker for irregularities in recruitment of286 people to parliament secretariat.
Another sub committee, which is probing allegations of corruption in procurement and arboriculture, is scheduled to submit report on
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May31.
“The probe committee has accepted in principle recommendations of the two subcommittees." Brig General (retd) SK Bakr, who headed the committee probing anomalies regarding medical bills, told The Daily Star after the meeting.
The sub committee led by Bakr yesterday met senior officials of the Comptroller and Auditor General's Office to re-examine their findings in light of the financial rules.
After the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Fazle Rabbi Mia. chief of the main probe body, said. “We have begun deliberations on the sub-committee reports and will sit again on May 31."
He however did not say whether his committee agrees on the sub-committees' findings.
About summoning Sircar, Siddiqui and Delwar, he said they have been asked to appear before the committee to give their versions. Parliament secretariat would soon send formal letters to them.
Sircar, now a member of parliament from BNP. how-ever refutes the graft charges against him.
In his reaction to summons. he yesterday claimed the committee has decided to send for him just to humiliate him and tarnish his party's image.
Talking to reporters, the former speaker also said he would decide whether to show up once he receives the letter.
Questioning the legality of the probe body's formation, he said it does not even have the seal of approval from the House.
Like him. Delwar claims they had done nothing illegal in drawing the money to pay medical bills.
The BNP secretary general also thinks this probe body has no authority to serve a summons on a former lawmaker.
Countering the arguments. Rabbi said parliament itself constituted the committee that has every right to summon the three.
Asked what their next
course of action will be if the triad does not appear before the committee, he said die committee would submit its report to the House in the upcoming session.
There will be some recommendations in the report to be grounded in facts, supporting documents, investigation findings and statements of parliament secretariat officials, he added.
Shajahan Khan, a member of the probe body, said their opting not to attend the committee meeting would suggest the allegations against them are true
About former deputy speaker Siddiqui, who is now behind bars on sedition charges. Rabbi said the committee would ask the government to arrange for him to appear before the committee or allow the committee to record his statements in prison.
At yesterday's meeting, the sub-committee dealing with the allegations of corruption in procurement and landscaping was granted an extension to come up with its report by May31.
The parliament secretariat officials, who were members of the committees on recruitment during Sircar's tenure, yesterday attended the probe committee's meeting and apprised it of the alleged irregularities in the appointment process.
Formed by Speaker Abdul Hamid in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament, the all-party probe committee commissioned three subcommittees to speed up the investigation into the alleged graft in the last seven years.
Meanwhile, Hamid yesterday criticised his predecessor for not probing the allegation that former speaker Humayun Rasheed Choudhury had stretched the rules to recruit his younger brother to parliament secretariat.
After a reporter raised the issue, the speaker asked, “If Humayun Rasheed Choudhury did anything illegal, then why didn't he [Jamiruddin Sircar] take any actions during his seven years' time?"