Zakat Fund Graft: Sayedee among six indicted

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee and five others in a case filed for embezzling Tk 1.27 crore from Islamic Foundation's Zakat Fund.

Sayedee, now in jail, and four others, who are on bail at present, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Judge Sayeda Hosneara of the Special Judge's Court of Dhaka read out the charges to them at the makeshift court at Alia Madrasa in Bakshibazar, Old Dhaka.

The other accused are: Mohammad Lutful Haque, former director of Islamic Foundation; Mia Mohammad Yunus, chief secretary of Bandhujan Parishad; Tofazzal Hossain, former president of Islamic Social Welfare Center; and Md Abdul Haq, assistant director of Islamic Foundation's Mosque Council.

Another accused, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, former chairman of Mosque Council for Community Advancement, is on the run.

Earlier in the day, the judge rejected the petitions submitted by Sayedee and the four for discharging them from the case and set February 17 for starting trial.

Sayedee was earlier convicted for life until death for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

Islamic Foundation's finance and accounting director Aiyub Ali Chowdhury filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station on May 24, 2010.

Wajed Ali Gazi, an assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission, filed the charge sheet in the case on April 30, 2012.