Court accepts charges against suspended DIG prisons

A Dhaka court today took cognisance of the charges against Partha Gopal Banik, a suspended deputy inspector general (prisons) of Sylhet division, in a case filed over the recovery of Tk 80 lakh from his residence in Dhaka.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after scrutinising case dockets and other relevant documents.

The judge fixed October 29 for hearing on charge framing against the accused in the case.

The judge also transferred the case to the Special Judge Court-10 of Dhaka for trial.

On August 24, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Md Salauddin -- also the investigation officer (IO) of the case -- submitted the charge sheet to the Sessions Judge's Court.

Fourteen people have been made prosecution witnesses in the charge sheet.

In the charge sheet, the IO said the charges brought against Partha-- of illegally acquiring wealth through money laundering -- were primarily proven, and that he should be brought under trial.

On July 29 last year, ACC Director Mohammad Yousuf quizzed Partha over allegations that he committed irregularities and corruption as DIG (prisons) of Chattogram division. The interrogation continued at the ACC headquarters for about four hours.

After interrogation, the ACC team, accompanied by Partha, went to his Green Road residence in the capital and recovered the money.

They later detained him and showed him arrested after the case was filed against him on the same day.

The following day, Partha was sent to jail after he was produced before a Dhaka court.