Fake Covid-19 certificates: Court accepts charges against JKG chairman, 7 others
A Dhaka court today accepted the charge sheet against eight people, including JKG Health Care Chairman Dr Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, in a case filed over issuing fake Covid-19 certificates.
The other accused are: Sabrina's husband JKG Chief Executive Officer Ariful Chowdhury, Executive Officer Shafiqul Islam, graphic designer Humayun Kabir Himu and four other JKG employees --Himu's wife Tanzina Patwary, Jebunnesa Rima, Sayeed Chowdhury and Biplob Das.
After scrutinising case dockets and other relevant documents, Metropolitan Magistrate Morshed Al Mamun Bhuiyan passed the order.
The court also fixed August 13 for hearing on the charge framed against Sabrina and seven others in connection with the case.
The court also relieved one Mamunur Rashid of the charges as the investigation officer (IO)of the case appealed to the court for doing so.
Meanwhile, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate AM Zulfikar Hayat today transferred the case to the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sarafuzzaman Ansary for trial.
Of the accused, Shafiqul, Humayun and Tanzina gave confessional statements before magistrates on different dates narrating their involvement in issuing fake Covid-19 certificates.
Md Liakot Ali, an inspector of Detective Branch (DB) of police and also the investigation officer of the case, yesterday submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.
In it, the IO said the charges brought against them of issuing fake Covid-19 certificates were primarily proven and they should be brought to trial.
In the charge sheet, the IO said, as per direction of Sabrina and Ariful, the other accused collected samples from the patients, prepared fake Covid-19 certificates and supplied those to the patients.
During the investigation, police seized different evidences including fake Covid-19 certificates issued to different patients.
In the charge sheet, thirty-one people have been made prosecution witnesses.
On June 23, Kamal Hossain, who was given a fake Covid-19 certificate from JKG Health Care, filed the case against Humayun, his wife Tanzina and several unknown people with Tejgaon Police Station in this regard.
The following day, police arrested the couple and three others including Ariful Chowdhury.
All the five including Ariful were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka the same day.
Of them, Humayun and his wife Tanzina gave confessional statements before a magistrate narrating their role in issuing of fake Covid-19 certificates.
Following their confessional statements, police arrested four more accused, including Sabrina on different dates.
Another accused Shafiqul Islam gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka magistrate.
Police arrested Sabrina, also a government official, on July 12 around three weeks after the scam came to light.
Afterwards, the health ministry suspended her from the post of registrar at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases for violating rules.
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