JKG Health Care chairman Dr. Sabrina Arif Chowdhury being taken to a Dhaka court on Monday — Focus Bangla A Dhaka court on Monday placed JKG Health Care chairman Dr. Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, also a government official, on a three-day remand in connection with a case filed over issuing fake Covid-19 test certificates.
Judge of the Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka Md Shahinur Rahman passed the order after Hasnat Khandakar, an inspector of Tejgaon Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, produced her before the court with a four-day remand prayer.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Monday issued arrest warrant against owner of Regent Hospital and Chairman of Regent Group Mohammad Shahed in connection with two cases filed over misappropriation of Tk 36.8 million (Tk 3.68 crore).
Judge of the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka Md Mainul Islam passed the order after Md Saifullah Masud, proprietor of Masud Enterprise located in Karwan Bazar of the city, filed two separate cases with the court against Shahed over the scam.
The court also asked the officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station to submit a report on the execution of the arrest warrant issued against Shahed by August 13.
The IO in the remand prayer said that Dr. Sabrina, as chairman of JKG Health Care, was directly involved with issuing fake Covid-19 test certificates. "So, she needs to be remanded to find out vital clues about the matter and know the whereabouts of others responsible for it."
Sabrina informed the court that she was no more the chairman of the organisation and was not involved with such incidents. She also appealed to the court to grant her bail, cancelling the remand prayer.
Advocate Saiful Islam Sumon took part in the hearing on behalf of Dr. Sabrina while assistant sub-inspector Md Farid Mia, also a general register officer for Tejgaon Police Station, appeared for the state.
Mr. Saiful said, "Dr. Sabrina worked at her husband's hospital with an innocent mind. But she did not know about JKG's misdeeds before. If she knew she would sever relationship."
On the other hand, ASI Md Farid Mia said, "She worked at the hospital as an ally of her husband. She needs to be placed on remand for the details."
At that time, Dr. Sabrina claimed her innocent. After hearing the parties, the court granted a 3-day remand for her.
Police arrested Dr. Sabrina on Sunday about three weeks after the scam came to light. Police called Dr. Sabrina at Tejgaon Police Deputy Commissioner's office around 1:00 pm for interrogation, police said.
"She was called for interrogation. After questioning for three hours, we showed her arrested in the case as she could not give satisfactory answers to the queries of the investigators," Harun-Ur-Rashid, deputy commissioner of Tejgaon Division Police told reporters.
Dr. Sabrina was working as a doctor at the National Heart Institute and Hospital. Although she is working for a government organisation, she gave several interviews to media as the chairman of JKG Health Care, according to police.
Meanwhile, the health ministry suspended Sabrina from the post of registrar doctor at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases for violating rules.
On June 24, police arrested her husband and JKG Chief Executive Officer Ariful Chowdhury and four others for their alleged involvement in issuing fake Covid test certificates.
Four cases have already been filed against JKG Health Care on various charges including fraudulence. But Sabrina was shown arrested in a case filed with Tejgaon Police Station in June.
Earlier on Saturday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) cancelled the permission for JKG Health Care to collect samples over allegations of irregularities and corruption.
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