The Anti-Corruption Commission has rejected the petition of former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu for delaying his interrogation on health grounds after talking to the hospital concerned. 

The commission will take legal steps against Bacchu if he continued to skip interrogation, said an ACC high up wishing not to be named.

On Sunday, ACC summoned Bacchu for interrogation in connection with 47 of the 56 cases filed over the misappropriation of Tk 2,036 crore of the bank.

Instead of appearing before the commission, Bacchu sent a letter to the ACC seeking one-month time. He said he was physically unwell and was taking treatment at a hospital.             

“We've contacted the hospital. On the basis of their information we've decided to summon him for the interrogation,” the ACC official said, adding that they were yet to fix a date for his quizzing.

“If he does not appear before the commission willingly, steps would be taken as per 19 (3) of Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004,” he said.

According to 19 (3) of the act, if anyone skips interrogation, he or she could be handed up to three years' imprisonment or fine or both.

The ACC interrogated Bacchu on December 4 and 6, around four years after one of the biggest loan scams in the country's banking sector came to the fore.

During interrogation on December 6, Bacchu “became sick”. An ACC doctor saw him and the interrogation continued.

According to Bangladesh Bank findings, around Tk 4,500 crore had been siphoned out of BASIC Bank between September 2009 and 2012 when Bacchu led the bank's board of directors.

On July 14, 2014, the BB gave the ACC a report detailing how the money was embezzled through shell companies and dubious accounts.

The report said Bacchu illegally influenced all activities of the state-owned lender, leaving the once-sound bank crumbling.

The BB also narrated how the former chairman abused his power to play an active role in loan scams. He approved many loans ignoring recommendations of branches.

He also allegedly approved loans on forged documents.

However, Bacchu has not been made an accused in any of the cases.

Meanwhile, the ACC has begun its enquiry into alleged irregularities in disbursing Tk 20 crore loan to the accounts of two firms owned by Bacchu's younger brother.

Shell companies allegedly took out loans from BASIC Bank, when Bacchu was its chairman, and the money was transferred to the firms.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the anti-money laundering unit of the central bank, in 2014, discovered this in a probe.

Recently, ACC appointed an officer to enquiry the matter, sources said.