Court takes charges against 47 into cognizance

A Dhaka court on Monday took the charges against 47 people into cognizance in a case filed over laundering Tk20 billion.
Judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court, Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain, passed the order, after scrutinising the case dockets and other relevant documents, said Dhaka Metropolitan Additional Public Prosecutor Tapash Kumar Pal.
The accused people include current and former leaders of the ruling Awami League (AL) in the district.
The case was originally filed by the CID with Kafrul Police Station in June, 2020 accusing Sajjad Hossain Barkat and his brother Imtiaz Hasan Rubel, both leaders of the Faridpur district unit of AL.
Of the accused, Barkat, Rubel and former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain's former APS AHM Fuad are now in jail while seven people, including Mosharraf's brother Khandaker Mohtesam Hossain Babar and Dhaka Times Editor Arifur Rahman Dolon are now out on bail.
The rest 37 charge-sheeted accused have been absconding since the case was filed.
The fugitive accused include former president of Faridpur district Chhatra League Nishan Mahmud Shamim, former Labour Affairs Secretary of Faridpur municipality AL Billal Hossain, leading contractor and former president of Faridpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Siddiqur Rahman, former General Secretary of the Faridpur unit Chhatra League Saiful Islam Jibon, Law Affairs Secretary of Faridpur district AL Animesh Roy and former Faridpur district AL Vice-President and former Faridpur sadar upazila chairman Shamsul Alam Chowdhury.
The judge issued arrest warrants against all the fugitive accused as they did not get bail from any other courts.
The court fixed May 30 this year for further proceedings in the case.
According to the case statement, Sajjad and Imtiaz laundered Tk20 billion amassed through tender manipulation, drug smuggling, land grabbing and extortion.

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