Trial courts Thursday sentenced three former ministers and a Dhaka ward commissioner to long jail-terms in separate cases, making the highest number of emergency-time verdicts in one day, report agencies.
The convicts are: immediate-past post and telecommunications minister Aminul Huq, immediate-past deputy minister for land Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu, former state minister during Awami League tenure Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Dhaka City ward commissioner Monwar Hossain Dipjol, who is also a film star.
BNP minister Aminul Huq was sentenced to 31 and half years of a rigorous jail term for aiding and abetting militants, in one of the harshest punishments to high-profile politicians during the emergency rule.
Judge Rezaul Islam of the Additional Sessions Judge's Court-2 in Rajshahi also slapped Tk 25,000 in fine on the former post and telecommunications minister who will have to serve out another three years on failure to pay the sum.
The court also handed down the same jail term to 24 others, including district BNP General Secretary Shish Mohammad.
Mohammad and 14 others are fugitives from justice.
After examining 15 prosecution witnesses and records, the judge pronounced the verdict.
Of the convicts, Aminul Haque, Rajshahi district BNP General Secretary and Mundumala Poura Chairman Shish Mohammad, Siddique, Monayem, Jalil, Latif, Mustafizur Rahman, Bablu, Mokhles, Halim, Montu, Abul Member, Manzur Rahman and Kamran were tried in absentia.
Of the others, Afzal, Amjad, Jahangir, Nazrul, Lutfar Rahman, Mizanur Rahman and JMB leaders Mostafizur Rahman, Abdul Sattar and Korban Ali were present in the dock when the judge pronounced the judgment.
Fazlur Rahman, who was tortured by JMB activists at Hasanpur village in Bagmara Upazila, filed the case against Aminul Haque and 26 others on March 30 this year.
After hearing the verdict, the convicts standing in the dock burst into tears.
A special Dhaka court dealing with high-profile corruption case found former state minister and Awami League presidium member Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir guilty on two counts of corruption and sentenced him to 13 years in jail.
The court, which also fined Alamgir Tk 0.1 million (10 lakh), in default to suffer one year more in prison, ordered to confiscate wealth worth over Tk 32.70 million (3.27 crore) that he amassed illegally.
After examining 37 prosecution witnesses and seven defence witnesses and records, Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the anti-graft court set up at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, found Alamgir guilty of corruption and handed down the verdict.
As the court pronounced the judgment, Alamgir, who was standing in the dock, turned pale.
The court found Alamgir guilty on two counts -- concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and amassing wealth worth over Tk 32.70 million (3.27 crore) disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Alamgir was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and to three years' simple imprisonment for concealing facts about his actual assets. "The two jail terms will run consecutively," said the court verdict.
On March 6, the ACC filed the case accusing Alamgir of amassing wealth worth over Tk 32.70 million (3.27 crore) beyond his known sources of income.
Mohiuddin's brother, Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir, turned in the statement to the ACC on February 22 on behalf of Alamgir since he was in jail awaiting trial.
Earlier on February 3, joint forces arrested Alamgir at his Banani home.
Alamgir in his statement had claimed to have 15 to 16 acres of land at Gulbahar in Chandpur district, a four-storey house on a plot of 4.25 katha plot at Banani in Dhaka, 7 to 8 katha land in Comilla Housing Estate, a one bigha plot at Ashulia, Tk 90,000 in bank, and Tk 9.0 million in saving certificates.
But the ACC was not happy with the statement.
On March 6, the ACC Deputy Director Jiban Krishna Roy filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing Alamgir of concealing information about his wealth and making illegal money.
On April 29, the ACC investigator Sharmin Ferdousi filed a chargesheet with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court for Dhaka, accusing him of hiding the fact of his having Tk 11.70 million (1.17 crore) in six fixed deposit accounts.
On May 21, the ACC Deputy Director Syed Iqbal Hossain in a supplementary chargesheet said their investigation found undeclared wealth worth more than Tk 21 million (2.10 crore).
The special court examined 38 prosecution witnesses while seven renowned persons including former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan, economist Abul Barakat and engineer Mohammad Shahidullah testified before the court.
A Natore court sentenced former deputy minister for land Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu and his cousin Atiqur Rahman to eight years and 87 others, including his 16 family members, to seven years imprisonment in a looting and arson case.
The court also fined all the convicts Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment (RI).
Five persons were acquitted, as the allegations brought against them could not be proved. Twenty-eight of the convicts, including Dulu, were in the dock.
This is the first verdict in 23 cases filed against the former deputy minister Dulu.
The family members of Dula are his brothers Rafiqul Talukdar and Nurunnabi Talukdar, his cousins Atiqur Rahman Talukdar, Abidur Rahman Talukdar, Nazibur Rahman Talukdar, Mozammel Talukdar, Ashraf Talukdar and Sarwar Hossain and his other relatives Habibul Islam Helal, Belal, Shafiqul Islam Bulbul, Rentu Talukdar, Dallar, Dalim, Quddus and Quddus's son Alamgir and husband of his niece Rahim Newaj.
According to the prosecution, the convicts looted 17 houses and 30 shops and set fire to those at Kazipur Shahpara village and Amtali Bazar in Naldanga Upazila on February 7 and February 10, 2004.
On February 25, this year, Asaduzzaman of Kazipur Shahpara village filed the case against 105 persons including Dulu.
Dulu and Atiq will serve five years for torching houses, one year each for vandalism and rioting, and the eighth year for commanding the atrocities.
Naldanga thana police submitted two separate charge sheets with the court against 94 persons.
After examining the witnesses and records Additional District Magistrate Rawnak Mahmud awarded the punishment in the crowded courtroom.
The case was referred to the Natore court for trial on June 12 and the court framed charges on June 27.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court sentenced Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) ward commissioner and film actor Monwar Hossain Dipjol to 17 years rigorous imprisonment for unauthorised possession of firearms.
Dipjol is absconding and his wife, Romana Monwar, is in jail custody.
The jail term takes effect from the day he is arrested or surrenders to the court.
According to case details, the joint forces on the night of January 15 recovered the rifle, 317 bullets and a magazine from Dipjol's house.
His wife failed to show any licence for the arms and bullets to the security forces.
Investigation officer Mirpur Police Station sub-inspector Helaluddin on March 26 pressed charges against Dipjol and showed 12 persons as witnesses. The court framed charges against him on June 25.
The arms seized from the house included one .22 rifle, one DBBL gun, one shot gun, one air gun, 317 bullets of .22 rifle and 89 cartridges. A case was filed with Mirpur thana for keeping illegal arms on January 15.
During the trial, Judge Mohammad Nuruzzaman of Special Tribunal-7, Dhaka examined 10 witnesses out of 22 and gave the verdict. Dipjol is also accused in 12 murder and extortion cases.
3 ex-ministers jailed
FE Team | Published: July 27, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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