Latif Siddique sent to jail in graft case

A Bogura court today sent former jute and textile minister Abdul Latif Siddique to jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for misusing power and damaging government property.

The court of Senior Special Judge Naresh Chandra Sarkar passed the order after rejecting his bail petition.

As an arrest warrant was issued against the sacked minister earlier, Latif Siddique appeared before the court and sought bail but he was denied and sent to jail, said ACC lawyer Advocate Abul Kalam Azad.

However, defence lawyer Helalur Rahman claimed Siddique, who contested the 11th parliamentary elections as an independent runner from Tangail-4 constituency, followed all the due procedure while selling out the government property.

THE CASE AND CHARGES

The ACC initiated the legal proceedings against the ex-minister on October 17, 2018.

ACC assistant director Aminul Islam filed the case with Adamdighi Police Station.

Jahanara Rashid, wife of late Harunur Rashid, from Kalitala of the district, was also made accused in the case.

According to the case statement, Jahanara Rashid leased a piece of land in Adamdighi upazila, owned by Bangladesh Jute Corporation, for three years at Tk 1.2 lakh per year on May 13, 2010.

In spite of getting repeated order from the textiles and jute ministry to pay rent for the land, Jahanara applied to the ministry to purchase the land on November 13, 2011.

Later, then textiles and jute minister Latif Siddique, without floating any formal tender, sold the land to Jahanara at Tk 23.94 lakh although its market price was Tk 64.63 lakh, resulting in a loss of Tk 40.69 lakh.

Following the incident, the ACC filed the case against Latif and Jahanara under the Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 1947.