Ashraf, Harris Chy, Obaidul Karim charged with bribery
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday pressed charges against former whip Ashraf Hossain, Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Obaidul Karim, chairman of Orion Group, and two others in a bribery case for getting the construction work order of Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover.
Meanwhile, hearing on the seven-day remand prayer to interrogate Tarique Rahman, the detained senior joint secretary general of BNP and Khaleda's eldest son, in connection with a Tk 1.32 crore extortion case is scheduled to be held today.
Besides, detained former BNP lawmaker Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam from Rajbari, arrested earlier in an extortion case, was sent to jail custody yesterday.
ASHRAF CASE
ACC's Assistant Director Mohammad Shafiul Alam, the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against five people including Ashraf, Harris and Karim before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka showing 27 people as prosecution witnesses.
Two other accused are Harris's brother-in-law Masud Ahmed and his driver Abdus Salam, who had been arrested earlier and now in jail custody.
The IO submitted the charge sheet showing Ashraf, Harris and Karim as fugitives and he prayed for the issuance of arrest warrants against them and order to attach their properties.
In the charge sheet, the IO mentioned that an Infiniti motorcar was imported in the name of Ashraf under his duty-free quota as an MP. The vehicle was purchased under Ashraf's name mentioning Karim's address.
Karim paid about Tk 50 lakh for the car while the market value of it was about Tk 2 to 2.5 crore.
The car had been given to Harris as bribe to get the construction work of the Jatrabari-Gulistan Flyover. Harris was using the car until January 2007, the IO said in the charge sheet adding that Ashraf was accused of transferring the car for financial gains -- in breach of the affidavit to import the duty-free car.
The charge sheet was submitted under Sections 161, 162 and 165 of the Penal Code and Section 5 (2) of the Corruption Prevention Act, 1947.
TARIQUE CASE
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shawkat Ali Chowdhury fixed today for hearing on the remand prayer after Sub-Inspector (SI) Imtiaz AKM Bhuiyan, also the IO of the case, submitted a petition to interrogate Tarique in connection with the case.
The court directed the jail authorities to produce Tarique before the court today during hearing on the remand prayer.
In the forwarding report, the IO mentioned that Tarique's close friend Giasuddin Al Mamun, in a confessional statement given to a magistrate on April 5, said that Tarique received portion of the money Mamun had extorted. So, Tarique needs to be quizzed to find out more about the extortion.
Khan Mohammad Aftab Uddin, managing director of Reza Construction Ltd, filed the case with Gulshan police on March 27 against Mamun and six others for extorting Tk 1.32 crore from him.
The other accused in the cases are -- former lawmaker Khairul Kabir Khokon, Obaidul Karim alias Sohel, Mamun's APS Kamruzzaman, Mahbub, Hablu and Mota Tariq.
Tarique was shown arrested in the case on April 23 after Mamun gave confessional statement disclosing Tarique's involvement in the extortion.
Tarique was arrested from his mother's Cantonment residence on March 7 after an extortion case was filed against him.
KHAIYAM CASE
Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Al Mamun sent detained former lawmaker Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam to jail custody after Tejgaon Police produced him before court without submitting any remand prayer.
Police on Tuesday arrested Khaiyam in the city's Kakrail area after a contractor named Solaiman from Daulatdia ferry ghat in Rajbari district filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station against the pro-reformist leader and two of his relatives.
The plaintiff complained that Khaiyam demanded Tk 20 lakh in toll from him on July 1, 2005 for getting him the lease of the parking lot at Daulatdia ferry ghat. As Solaiman failed to comply with the demand, the ex-MP threatened to obstruct his work.
Solaiman said he had paid Khaiyam Tk 15 lakh in three cheques of Janata Bank by June 2006.
HASINA CASE
The same court yesterday asked Tejgaon Police to submit the probe report by December 5 in connection with a Tk 5 crore extortion case against detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her cousin Sheikh Helal and his wife Rupa Chowdhury.
The court issued the order after General Recording Officer (GRO) of the CMM's Court placed the case file saying that the IO of the case did not submit the probe report yesterday.
On June 13, Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group of Companies, filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing Hasina and her two relatives of extorting Tk 5 crore from him in exchange for mediation between Power Development Board (PDB) and his firm in finalising a power plant deal in 1997.
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