Top cop, graft-buster jailed for bribery

Justice finally catches up with the duo – a top police official and a high-ranking graft-buster.    

They were sentenced to different jail terms by a Dhaka court on Wednesday in a Tk40 lakh bribery case. Ironically, the convicts' job was supposed to flag off wrongdoings and bust the corrupt.

The court handed disgraced deputy inspector general of police Mizanur Rahman a three-year imprisonment for bribery, while suspended Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director Khandakar Enamul Basir received a three-year sentence for bribery, another five years for money laundering plus a fine of Tk80 lakh.     

"Their misuse of power for personal gains have been proven, and the offences by the two top officials have sent an adverse signal to people about public servants," said Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam, referring to them as "defenders turning into offenders".
Mizan and Basir were produced before the court from Keraniganj and Narayanganj jails in the morning. They were in the dock during the verdict.

The court said Basir was supposed to work against corruption by rising above emotion and favour, but he himself got involved in graft that is totally unacceptable.

About Mizan, the judge said, "Being a servant of the people, resorting to immoral means for saving himself is undesirable too."

The ACC filed the bribery case against the duo in 2019. They were arrested in 2020. The argument hearings of both the parties was concluded on 3 February this year.
 
In turn of events, they ended up in the dock  

Police officer Mizan first made the headlines in 2018 over abducting a woman, forcibly marring her and torturing her subsequently, despite already having a family. As media reports kept exposing his scandals, Mizan was withdrawn from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and attached to police headquarters.  

Subsequently, the ACC initiated a three-member inquiry team to look into his assets, as Basir was tasked to lead it. Amid the ACC inquiry, Mizan claimed Basir took Tk40 lakh from him as bribe and promising him a clean chit.  

To support the claim, he provided the media with audio clips of conversations between him and Basir. The ACC official then refuted the allegations, while another ACC inquiry team replaced him.

Subsequently, Mizan and Basir were suspended by their respective institutions. The ACC filed the case against them as the investigation found the bribery allegations to be true.   

On 22 July 2020, an ACC team arrested Basir, while Mizan, who had already been behind bars in a separate case, was also shown arrested in the bribery case.    
 
'More bad apples out there'

Emerging from the courtroom after the verdict, Mizan on Wednesday told journalists that Basir was not a single and isolated case, but rather that there were plenty of corrupt officials like him in the ACC.

"Go and find them," he sounded arrogant as usual. Mizan wore a blazer over a blue and white striped shirt, with a scarf around the neck. While leaving the courtroom, he looked cheerful and even flashed a victory sign.

During the pronouncement of the verdict, the judge categorised people who offer bribes to public officials. Noting that Mizan falls in the first category by using bribes to gain undue favours, the court said, "He is a willing bribe giver or accomplice."

In contrast with Mizan's sharp demeanour, Basir – who took the dirty money – had a sombre expression during the entire time.

He was attired in a check-shirt with a pen in his pocket and a prayer cap on his head. In the courtroom, he had a blank expression.  

Both Basir and Mizan said they would challenge the lower court verdict in the High Court.