Money Laundering: Charges against ex-minister’s brother, 9 others accepted

A Dhaka court yesterday accepted charges against 10 people, including Khandaker Mohtesam Hossain Babar, the brother of former Awami League minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, in a Tk 2,000 crore money laundering case.

Sajjad Hossain alias Barkat, the ex-general secretary of Faridpur town Awami League unit, and his brother Imtiaz Hasan alias Rubel, a former president of Faridpur Press Club, are among the accused.

The seven others are  AHM Fuad, Mosharraf's assistant personal secretary and former convener of Faridpur district Jubo League; Khandakar Nazmul Islam Levi, former Faridpur town Jubo League president; Ashiqur Rahman Farhan, former general secretary of Faridpur town unit Jubo League; Fahad bin Wazed Fahim alias Fahim, general secretary of Faridpur District Swechchhasebak League; Kamrul Hasan David, former joint convener of Faridpur town Jubo League; Mohammad Ali Minar, district Jubo League joint convener; and Tariqul Islam alias Nasim, Faridpur town Jubo League joint convenor.

Of them, Barkat, Rubel, Levi and Farhan are now in jail.

After accepting the charges, Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka issued arrest warrants against Babar, now vice-president of Faridpur district Awami League, and five others since they were shown as "fugitive accused" in the charge sheet.

The judge directed the officer-in-charge of Faridpur Sadar Police Station to submit a report on the execution of arrest warrants issued against them by October 13.

On March 3, Uttam Kumar Biswas, the assistant superintendent of police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police and also the case's investigation officer, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court in Dhaka.

SM Miraj Al Mahmud, a CID inspector, lodged the case with Kafrul Police Station against the two brothers under the Money Laundering Act on June 26 last year.

According to the case statement, they amassed huge amounts of wealth after winning contracts from various government departments in the district through manipulation since 2010.

They were allegedly involved in drug smuggling and land grabbing. The two became owners of around 23 buses, several trucks and cars.