Farmers Bank scam: Regent chairman Shahed on 7-day remand

A Dhaka court today placed Regent Hospital Chairman Mohammad Shahed on a seven-day remand in a case filed over the misappropriation of Tk 2.71 crore of Farmers Bank Ltd.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka passed the order after Anti-Corruption Commission's Deputy Assistant Director Mohammad Shahjahan Meraj, also the investigation officer of the case, produced Shahed before the court with a 10-day remand prayer.

In the remand prayer, the IO said Shahed, in association of other accused, embezzled the money from Farmers Bank Ltd. So, he needs to be remanded to know further information about the embezzlement, the IO added.

Claiming himself innocent, Shahed told the court that he had FDR of Tk 50 lakh in Farmers Bank Ltd against the loan.

Moreover, he claimed that he is unwell as he has been in police custody since July 15 and appealed to the court to reject the remand prayer.

No lawyer was present in the court to defend him.

After hearing both sides, the magistrate rejected his pleas and issued the remand order.

On July 27, the ACC filed the case against Shahed and three others with its Integrated District Office-1 of Dhaka.

The other accused are -- Mahbubul Haque Chisty, of former audit committee of Farmers Bank Ltd (now Padma Bank Ltd), his son Rashedul Haque Chisty, and Regent Hospital Managing Director Ibrahim Khalil.

Of them, Ibrahim Khalil is on the run.

According to the case statement, the accused in collusion with each other, embezzled Tk 2.71 crore from the bank abusing their power in 2015.

Shahed was arrested on July 15 from Satkhira, as he was trying to leave the country on a boat.

Earlier Shahed was placed on a 28-day remand in four cases filed with Uttara Paschim and Purba Police stations.

Before that, he was also remanded for 20 days in two cases filed with Uttara Paschim Police Station and Satkhira Police Station.