The High Court on Sunday wanted to know what action has been taken against the irregularities of Tk 4.72 billion by Standard Asiatic Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).
The HC ordered the BPC and Comptroller and Auditor General to give explanation on the issue by November 20.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order and issued a Suo Muto rule after considering a report published in an English daily on November 4 under the headline "A BPC concern robs state coffers of Tk 4.72 billion".
In the rule the HC wanted to know from the authorities concerned with the government why their inaction to take action against the irregularities of the BPC's concern, Standard Asiatic Oil Company, should not be declared illegal.
The chairmen of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the BPC and Comptroller and Auditor General have been asked to comply with the rule within 10 days.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan placed the report before the HC bench for passing necessary directives on the issue.
The report said, "The government has been deprived of Tk 4.72 billion for 21 counts of irregularities by Standard Asiatic Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, found an audit.
The disclosure comes after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pored over the company's books from fiscal 2012-13 to 2019-20 and made field visits."
The anomalies include embezzlement by top officials, high rates, overtime, missing funds, irregularities in payment of litigation fees and violation of the Income Tax Ordinance and VAT Rules, also read the report.
