Khulna mayor gets 10 years in another extortion case

A Khulna court yesterday sentenced Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman and KCC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sarder Abu Taher to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) in a Tk 2.9 lakh extortion case.
They were also fined Tk 1 lakh each, in default of which they have to suffer one more year in prison.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam delivered the verdict in presence of Tayebur. The other convict Abu Taher has been absconding since the case was filed.
Suspended Procurement officer of KCC's Municipal Services Project SM Hafizur Rahman filed the extortion case with Khulna Police Station on November 2 last year against Tayebur and Abu Taher.
In the first information report (FIR), the complainant said he gave the accused Tk 290,000 in bribe for getting promoted. But he was neither promoted nor got back the money.
Sub-inspector Keshab Chakrabarty of Khulna Police Station, the investigation officer of the case, submitted charge sheet to the court on February 13 this year.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court (third) framed charges against the accused on March 3 this year. The court recorded statements of 17 prosecution witnesses during trial.
But, the case was transferred to the court (fourth) of Additional District and Sessions Judge Md Nazrul Islam on May 12 following directives of District and Sessions Judge Md Shabiuddin as Additional District and Session Judge (third court) Md Barekuzzaman felt embarrassed to continue trial of the case.
The additional district and sessions judge (fourth court) sentenced Tayebur and Abu Taher to five years' RI under section 385 of the Bangladesh Penal Code (BPC) and another five years' RI under section 386 of the BPC. Both the punishments will run concurrently.
The KCC mayor said he would appeal against the verdict.
Earlier on Sunday, Tayebur and Abu Taher were sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment in a Tk 4.5 lakh extortion case.
Tayebur, who was arrested from his Dhaka residence on November 2 last year, has been accused in nine other cases on different charges including extortion and misappropriation.