Saima Wazed Putul, the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional director for the South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), has been sent on indefinite leave from yesterday, according to Health Policy Watch. The action was taken four months after Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against Saima Wazed , daughter of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, for fraud, forgery and misuse of power, said the report published yesterday. WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus notified staff in a brief internal email that Saima Wazed would be on leave from yesterday and that WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Catharina Boehme would "serve as the Officer in Charge" in her place. Boehme would reach the SEARO office in New Delhi on Tuesday, Tedros added. The charges against Saima Wazed stem from her bid to be appointed regional director. She took office in January 2024 but her campaign was shadowed by claim that her influential mother used her influence to ensure her daughter's election. The ACC investigation into these claims began in January. According to the formal charges, Saima Wazed is alleged to have provided false information about her academic record during her campaign for regional director, violating Section 468 of the Bangladesh Penal Code (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 471 (forging a document).  The ACC also alleges she misrepresented her qualifications by claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which the university disputes, to secure her WHO position. The charges were detailed by ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam, the report said. Saima Wazed is also accused of having misused her power and influence to collect about $2.8 million from various banks for the Shuchona Foundation, which she used to head.  The ACC case did not provide complete details on how the money was then used. Those charges include: allegations of fraud and misuse of power under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property); as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947. Since the charges were laid, Saima Wazed has been unable to travel properly in the SEARO region as she faces arrest in Bangladesh, Health Policy Watch said in its report. Sheikh Hasina fled the country last August amid mass uprising.