Papia’s Arms Case: Court frames charges, bins bail plea

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against expelled leader of Jubo Mohila League Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman in an arms case. 

Papia and Mofizur, now in jail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Special Tribunal-1 of Dhaka read out the charges to them.

Before that, the tribunal rejected their bail petition submitted by their lawyer and fixed August 31 for beginning trial of the case.

On June 29, Sub-inspector Arifuzzaman at Rab, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against the couple to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.

In the charge sheet, the IO said 12 people have been made witnesses, the charges brought against the couple were primarily proven and they should be brought under trial in this connection.

Rab arrested Papia, her husband -- a former Chhatra League leader -- and their two accomplices from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on February 22 when they were trying to leave the country.

Rab members recovered seven passports, Tk 2,12,270, fake notes worth Tk 25,600, $11,481, 420 Sri Lankan rupees, 301 Indian rupees, and two debit cards from their possession.

They later raided Papia's flats in Farmgate and recovered a foreign pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor, Tk 58,41,000 cash, credit and debit cards of different banks.

Three cases were filed against the couple with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the Arms and the Special Powers Acts, while another case was lodged with Biman Bandar Police Station under the Special Powers Act.

Another case was filed against the four -- the couple and their two accomplices -- with Gulshan Police Station under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.

On February 24, Papia and her husband were placed on a 15-day remand each in three cases after they were produced before two separate Dhaka courts.

Their accomplices -- Sabbir Khondaker and Sheikh Taiyaba -- were placed on a five-day remand each in the case filed with Biman Bandar Police Station.

According to the remand prayers, the investigation officers said the accused amassed considerable wealth through illegal arms trade, drugs trade, smuggling, trading of fake currencies, and extortion.

On August 4, the Anti-Corruption Commission lodged a case against Papia and her husband for amassing about Tk 6.24 crore illegally.