Realtor named in NSU graft case goes 'missing’

Amin Md Hilaly, a real estate businessman named in a case over alleged embezzlement at North South University, has gone missing, his family says, according to bdnews.

The family filed a complaint at Uttara North Police Station on Friday, saying the 56-year-old did not return after leaving home for office in the morning.

His younger brother Rafiqul Islam Hilaly said in the complaint that Amin left their home at Uttara Sector 13 at 8 am and called chauffeur Jamal Uddin.

Amin asked Jamal to contact him 15 minutes later, but Jamal found Amin’s mobile phone unreachable when he called his employer back, according to the complaint. The family has not heard from him since then, Rafiqul said.

“We’re investigating the matter with priority. We’ve contacted the family and are trying to find him out,” said Mohammad Morshed Alam, a deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Amin left home for his office, Ashaloy Housing and Developers Ltd in the same neighbourhood, asking the chauffeur to meet him at the office, Rafiqul told bdnews24.com.

Amin, the managing director of the firm, spoke to his wife by phone at 8:22 am, as he reached road No. 15, asking her to pay their domestic aide via bKash, according to Rafiqul. “His phone has since been switched off. It is assumed that he went missing from that road,” he said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission on May 5 charged Amin and five others with misappropriating North South University's funds for purchasing land for its campus. They were also accused of money laundering.

The other accused are Azim Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the private institution’s board of trustees, and trustees MA Kashem, Benajir Ahmed, Rehana Rahman and Mohammed Shajahan.

Later in May, the High Court denied the four trustees’ plea for anticipatory bail and turned them over to the police.

Mutual Group of Industries Chairman Kashem is a former president of FBCCI and director of South East Bank. Benajir, the managing director of Raymond Group, had served as the president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Rehana is the managing director of Bengal Tradeways. Shajahan is the managing director of Shah Fateullah Textile Mills and Jalal Ahmed Spinning Mills.

According to the case document, the accused bought 36.81 hectares of land at a low price but provided a much higher estimate to the university authorities with the 'nefarious intention' of embezzling the excess funds.

Initially, they paid the money to the seller, which was then withdrawn by their associates by cheque. The funds were then transferred to the accused, who parked the money in fixed deposit accounts, according to the charges.