Former AL lawmaker Ranjit Kumar Roy. File Photo

DHAKA, Feb 19, 2025 (BSS) - Widespread corruption of  former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Ranjit Kumar Roy from Jashore-4 constituency and his five other family members in the last 16-year tenure of the deposed regime ‘turned into mountain’ level.

The state-run Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed this as its three-member investigation team is now working with it, what it claimed that the graft spree of ex-MP Ranjit astonished all concerned.

“In the last 16-year of misrule Ranjit Roy and his wife, two sons and their wives amassed the movable and immovable assets ‘institutionalizing corruption’ . . . as they made suspicious as well as illegal transactions of Tk 183 crore, 12 lakh, 66 thousand and 37 through 133 bank accounts by their names,” an ACC investigation officer told BSS preferring anonymity.

He said the cleverly dealings in the corrupt practices also made the ACC investigation team foolish.

“This is like a fairy tale of Awami League misrule. I know corruption happens, but such level of corruption is unbelievable, what they found in just 16 years. Ranjit and his family members own huge assets, cash, bank transactions, valuable plots and flats in Dhaka and Jashore,” another ACC official told this reporter recently.

During the inquiry over graft allegations against Ranjit Kumar in Jashore, locals informed the investigators that Ranjit Kumar has a house in Crescent Lake, Kolkata in India and Ranjit remained absconding there with his family members after the July uprising.

The ACC team said they have collected documents of about 800 acres of land in Bagharpar, Jashore and other places in the district in the name of Ranjit Kumar.

Ranjit has also two date orchards and house assets. His two children have assets of 300 acres land. His wife has a five-storey building in Mirpur in the capital. In the wealth statement, its value has been shown only Tk 50 lakh.

"Besides, there are two three-storey houses in Jashore.  Ranjit has a plot of more than 10 katha allotted by RAJUK on Road No- 206, Purbachal, shown worth only Tk 35 lakh,” the investigation officer said, adding, “However, the current market price of this plot is estimated at least Tk 15 crore.”

Details investigation is still continuing to dig out more assets and its (all assets) proper valuation, he added.

The ACC investigation team said Ranjit Kumar Roy filed his first income tax return in 2006-2007 fiscal year. Before that, he had no income tax return.

 In that tax year, he had a net asset of only Tk 1.21 lakh. At that time, his wife and two children had no assets. Currently, a total of Tk 15 crore 64 lakh 3 thousand 24 has been found in his own name while his wife's name and his two children's names, apart from bank transactions.

Earlier, the ACC has decided to file four separate cases  against - Ranjit Kumar Roy, his wife Niyoti Rani Roy, sons Rajib Kumar Roy along with his wife Rishita Saha  and Sajib Kumar Roy along with his wife Anindita Malakar Peu.

They all are accused in the case of acquiring assets beyond their known income sources, mentioned the investigation team.

Ranjit Kumar Roy was first elected parliament member (MP) in the 2009 elections. Since then, he has acquired assets in consistent with known sources of income worth Tk 6 crore, 12 lakh, 48 thousand and 193 in his own name with the money illegally earned through abuse of power and corruption.

ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhter Hossain earlier told newsmen that Ranjit Roy has committed a punishable offence under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, by making suspicious transactions in his 25 bank accounts involving a total of Tk 39 crore, 48 lakh, 45 thousand and 564.

Meanwhile, the ACC has decided to sue Niyoti Bani Roy and her husband Ranjit Kumar Roy for the misuse of power and obtaining illegal assets worth about Tk 1.99 crore, which is inconsistent with his submitted income sources.

She made suspicious transactions of a total of Tk 8 crore 80 lakh 50 thousand 106 in her 21 bank accounts, the investigation revealed.

In addition, the ACC took decision to file two separate cases against his two sons - Rajib Kumar Roy and Ranjit Kumar Roy- for abusing their father's political power and acquiring illegal assets.

The ACC official claimed that Rajib illegally earned wealth worth about Tk 3.74 crore through corruption, taking bribes and misusing his father’s influences.

Apart from this, he and his wife Rishita Saha operated 69 bank accounts where the investigators found suspicious transactions amounting to Tk 162 crore, 34 lakh, 48 thousand and 88.

But no valid documents of income sources were, however, available in this connection, he added.

Meanwhile, Ranjit’s another son Sajib Roy and her wife Anindita Malakar Peu suspiciously made transactions of over Tk 8.49 crore in 18 bank accounts, Akhter Hossain mentioned.

Earlier, Sajib amassed over Tk 3.74 crore illegally by using his father’s political influences, which is beyond his income sources, compelling the ACC to file case against him also.