Trial of AL leader Pankaj, his wife in graft case begins

FE Team | Published: July 02, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Trial of the detained Awami Swechchhasebak League general secretary Pankaj Devnath and his wife on corruption charges began Sunday with a special court taking deposition from the prosecution witness, reports UNB.
Judge M Firoze Alam of the makeshift special court set up at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban recorded the testimony of the prosecution witness, Abdul Latif, assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Pankaj'a wife, Monica Pankaj, who faces the same charges, will be tried in absentia, as she went into hiding.
Pankaj and his wife are accused of concealing information in their wealth statement submitted to the ACC, under the ongoing drive against corruption in high places.
The commission watchdog said the couple possessed wealth worth Tk 6.5 million (65 lakh) disproportionate to their legal sources of income, which is a punishable offence under the ACC Act.
Meanwhile, another court of judge AK Roy deferred until July 5 the charge hearing of the graft case filed against former communications minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) stalwart Nazmul Huda along with his wife, following a petition by the counsel for the co-accused Sigma Huda.
Huda, who faces a number of criminal charges, including arms case, was brought before the court from jail under tight security.
ACC Deputy Director Shafiqul Islam filed the case against the Huda couple with Dhanmondi police station on March 21 for taking Tk 24 million in bribe from Mir Zahir Hossain, the owner of Mir Akter Hossain Limited, a construction firm.
Besides, the court of judge M Ashraf Hossain indicted T&T CBA leader Firoze Mian (dismissed) along with his wife in a graft case and fixed Monday to start his formal trial.
The detained trade-union leader, standing in the dock, pleaded 'not guilty' and sought justice when the judge read out the charges.
Earlier, the court rejected the defence plea for discharging the case. Firoze' wife, Rawshan Ara, will be tried in absentia, as she remained a fugitive.
Both the couple are accused of possessing by 'illegal means' assets worth Tk 13.4 million, according to the ACC charge sheet.