Two defence witnesses testify in favour of Ragib Ali

Two defence witnesses testified yesterday in favour of industrialist Ragib Ali in two cases filed for forging legal papers and grabbing the endowed land of Tarapur Tea Estate in Sylhet.

After recording the testimony of Mahmud Hossain Chowdhury and Abdul Munim, assistant managers of Ragib Ali's Malnichara Tea Estate, the court fixed January 26 to hear the argument both from the defence and prosecution, said additional public prosecutor Mahfuzur Rahman.

On the day, the court will also fix the date to deliver the verdict in the cases, he added.

Ragib Ali was sent to jail on November 24 last year after he was handed over to Sylhet police following his arrest by the Karimganj district immigration police in India.

Ragib, prime accused in the cases, along with his son Abdul Hai fled to India earlier on August 10 after a Sylhet court issued arrest warrants for Ragib and five others, including his son, in the cases.

In 1990, Ragib started grabbing the land of the estate after forcing its legal Shebayet (caretaker) Pankaj Kumar Gupta to leave the country, Pankaj had alleged.

After grabbing 422.96 acres of the estate, Ragib built Ragib-Rabea Medical College Hospital and also sold 337 plots and established some other structures on the land.