Two Dhaka courts on Thursday indicted 100 accused, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, in six graft cases filed over the alleged scam in the plot allotment in the Purbachal New Town Project.
Judge Md Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4 and Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Special Judge Court-5 framed charges against the accused and issued warrants for their arrest since they remained absconding.
Confirming the matter, Anti-Corruption Commission Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said, “Charges have been framed against all the accused in the six cases. Arrest warrants were issued, and the court also set 11 August for recording the deposition of witnesses.”
Of the six cases, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in three cases – one against Hasina and 16 other accused; another against 18 accused, including the former prime minister and Azmina Siddiq; and the third against 18 accused, including Hasina and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
The Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, on the other hand, framed charges in one case against Hasina and 12 others; another case against 17 accused, including Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy; and the third case against 18 people, including Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul.
On 22 July, the two courts set 31 July for charge framing hearings in the six graft cases filed by the ACC.
On 1 July, the court ordered the publication of a gazette notification summoning 100 people, including Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and their children, in the cases.
The accused include Hasina’s son Joy and daughter Putul, Rehana’s daughters Tulip Rizwana Siddiq (a British MP) and Azmira Siddiq Rupu, and son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby.
Other accused include government and RAJUK officials Saiful Islam Sarkar, Purabi Goldar, Kazi Wasi Uddin, Shahid Ullah Khandaker, Anisur Rahman Mia, Md Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmoy Das, Md Nasir Uddin, Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury (retd), Md Hafizur Rahman, Md Habibur Rahman, Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Md Nurul Islam, Mohammad Salahuddin, and Sharif Ahmed.
The ACC filed six separate cases in January this year against them on the allegation of abusing power and favouritism in getting allocation of government plots in the Purbachal New Town Project.
