Helal, wife sent to jail

Sheikh Helaluddin

A Dhaka court yesterday sent lawmaker Sheikh Helaluddin, also a cousin of Sheikh Hasina, and his wife Rupa Chowdhury to jail in a graft case in which the two were tried in absentia, found guilty and sentenced.
Helal was also shown arrested yesterday in an extortion case.
Judge (in charge) Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge Court-6 passed the order after Awami League leader Helal and Rupa appeared before the court and sought bail in the corruption case.
On February 24, 2008, Judge Tanjina Ismail sentenced Helal to 13 years' imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing wealth information to the Anti-Corruption Commission while Rupa was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for abetting her husband in acquiring the wealth.
At the MP Hostel of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Complex, Special Court-6 also directed the government to confiscate their wealth worth over Tk 7.60 crore, which is inconsistent with Helal's known sources of income.
The court fined Helal Tk 50 lakh, in default of which he would have to suffer two more years in jail, and Rupa Tk 50,000 and she would have to serve an additional month in jail if she failed to pay the fine.
On September 24, 2007, ACC Deputy Director Manzur Ahmed filed the case with Ramna Police Station accusing Helal and his wife of concealing Tk 7.60 crore in their wealth statements and amassing Tk 16.22 crore through illegal means.
On January 15, 2008, ACC Assistant Director Syed Ahmed, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against them before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court showing 23 people as prosecution witnesses.
On February 12, 2008, another Dhaka court had in another case sentenced Sheikh Helal to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for extorting Tk 1.02 crore from a construction firm owner.
Helal was shown arrested in the case yesterday following an application filed by his lawyer.
On January 12 last year, the High Court granted them bail in the case and stayed all the proceedings of the case for three months. But the ACC had filed an appeal against the HC order with the Supreme Court, which is now pending, sources said.