A Dhaka court on Thursday ordered the seizure of immovable properties owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury in the United Kingdom.
Judge Md Shabbir Fayez of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order following an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) plea.
The decision was confirmed by bench assistant Md Riaz Hossain. In its petition, the ACC stated that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, along with related individuals and entities, holds substantial assets in London and other regions of the UK.
The commission argued that the seizure of these assets is necessary for the ongoing investigation into money laundering allegations.
The court accepted the ACC’s application, scheduled a date for the next hearing, and directed that the required legal processes be followed.
According to the ACC’s investigation records, a special task force – comprising members from the ACC, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) – i s currently probing the money laundering charges against the accused and his associates.
Investigators have reportedly recovered various documents related to overseas properties, including purchase agreements, deeds, payment orders, booking money receipts, cheques, and vouchers.
A preliminary list of assets presented to the court includes an apartment in Marylebone Square, London, valued at approximately £6,521,000, as well as multiple flats in Oval Village.
The list further detailed a property on Clarendon Road worth roughly £1,230,000, and multiple units at One Islington Plaza in Liverpool. Additionally, information regarding assets in Harrow, Slough, and Preston was submitted to the court.
Investigating officers informed the court that the seizure is vital to verify whether these assets were acquired using laundered funds, to restrict the movement of the accused, and to strengthen the legal proceedings.
