Fake Covid-19 certificates: Hearing on charge framing against Sabrina, 7 others on Aug 20
A Dhaka court today adjourned the hearing on charge framing against eight people, including JKG Health Care Chairman Dr Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, in a case filed over issuing fake Covid-19 certificates, till August 20.
Metropolitan Magistrate MdSarafuzzamanAnsary passed the order after their lawyers submitted petitions seeking time for the hearing.
The court also rejected bail petitions of Sabrina and seven others after their lawyers submitted separate petitions before the court.
The other accused are: Sabrina's husband JKG Chief Executive Officer Ariful Chowdhury, Executive Officer Shafiqul Islam, graphic designer HumayunKabirHimu and four other employees --Himu's wife TanzinaPatwary, Jebunnesa Rima, Sayeed Chowdhury and Biplob Das.
All the accused including Sabrina were produced before the court during today's hearing.
MdLiakot Ali, an inspector of Detective Branch (DB) of Police and also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, on August 5 submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.
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 among the patients.
During the investigation, police seized evidence including fake Covid-19 certificates issued among the 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 fake Covid-19 certificates.
Following their confessional statements, police arrested four more accused, including Dr Sabrina.
Police arrested Sabrina, also a government official, on July 12 around three weeks after the scam came to light.
Following her arrest, the health ministry suspended her from the post of registrar at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases for violating rules.
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