The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday filed two separate cases against a police superintendent and his wife on charges of amassing wealth of over Tk 3.49 crore through bribery and other corrupt means.

An investigation by the ACC found the couple has wealth worth Tk 11 crore, including the Tk 3.49 crore beyond their known source of income.

SP Mizanur Rahman of Dhaka Range Reserve Force and Salma Aktar alias Nipa Mizan were sued under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012.

“Mizan's total wealth is more than his income, and it was found that he amassed wealth worth Tk 1.17 crore beyond known source of income … through bribery and other corrupt means by abuse of power.

“Nipa Mizan made the fortune through her husband's bribery and corruption,” reads the case statement.

Nipa's illegal wealth is worth Tk 2.32 crore, nearly double the amount found in her husband's name. 

Further investigation may reveal the couple has more illegal wealth, according to the case statements. 

ACC Assistant Director Faruk Ahmed, who investigated the couple, filed the cases with the Tejgaon Police Station.

It comes just a week after a survey by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed law enforcement agencies are the most corrupt among 18 service-providing departments and sectors.

Earlier in May, the ACC quizzed an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), also named Mizanur Rahman, over his “illegal wealth”.

He was withdrawn from the post following reports of extra-marital affairs.

Last year, the ACC filed a case against another SP, Subhash Chandra Saha, and his wife Rina Chowdhury for amassing over Tk 8 crore beyond known source of income.

For his part, SP Mizan, from Tungipara of Gopalganj, made headlines several times for alleged corruption and violation of service rules. 

In 2010, he was removed from the post of Bagerhat SP following media reports that he tried to grab some land there.

On August 25, 2016, Bangla daily Kaler Kantha reported that he engaged about 60 policemen of his unit, including sub-inspectors, in the construction work of his luxury home on 84 decimals of land in Hemayetpur, on the outskirts of the capital. 

It prompted the ACC to open an investigation that revealed that he and his wife abused their power to amass huge wealth.

Among Mizan's properties are a two-storey building on 18-decimal land in his village home at Tungipara; two flats (1,718 square feet and 1,800 square feet) in the city's Tejkunipara; a shop in Jurain; 15-decimal land in Dhaka; a three-katha plot of Rajuk (Uttara third phase); and 1,295.96 decimal agricultural land in Gopalganj.

He also co-owns, along with his wife and daughter, four factories in different parts of the country.

All the four factories -- Meghna Fertiliser, Khoyaz Fertiliser, Mollah NPKS and Farm Nest and Milk Products -- were set up without government permission, a violation of service rules, according to the case document.

Some other properties partly or fully owned by his wife are a three-storey building on 5-katha land on Mirpur's Mazar Road; a shop on two-katha land; a three-storey building in Keraniganj; 20-decimal farm land; 46-decimal land in Dhaka and 538-decimal land in Tungipara.

The total value of the properties (both legal and illegal) in her name is Tk 7.49 crore, as against Tk 3.51 crore owned by her husband. The couple married in 2003.

Mizan joined the police in 1989 as a sub-inspector. Later, he sat the 17th BCS exam and passed. Subsequently, he was promoted to the post of assistant superintendent of police in 1998 and then to the post of SP.

The Daily Star called Mizan several times for his comment, but he did not pick up the call. He also did not respond to a text message, requesting his comment.