Verdict on graft case against SK Sinha deferred for 2nd time
Rescheduled for November 9
A Dhaka court today rescheduled – for November 9 -- delivery of the verdict of a graft case filed against former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others over Tk 4 crore money laundering.
Judge Shaikh Nazmul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka passed the order, said Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam.
The judge did not mention why the verdict was not announced today, the PP added.
On October 5, the court deferred the verdict till today.
After completing the closing arguments in the case, the court on September 14 had fixed October 5 for delivering the verdict.
The 10 other accused of the case are AKM Shamim, Gazi Salahuddin, Swapan Kumar Roy, Md Lutful Haque, Md Shahjahan, Niranjan Chandra Saha, Shafiuddin Askary Ahmed, Ranjit Chandra Saha, Santri Roy and Mahbubul Haque Chisty alias Babul Chisty.
Of the 11 accused, Shamim, Salahuddin, Swapan, Lutful, Shahjahan and Niranjan are now on bail, while Mahbubul is now behind bars.
Four other accused -- SK Sinha, Shafiuddin, Ranjit and Santri -- have been absconding since filing the graft case.
In October 2018, the Anti-Corruption Commission said it found evidence of fraud involving transactions of Tk 4 crore borrowed with fake documents by two businessmen -- Shahjahan and Niranjan -- from the Farmers Bank [now Padma Bank]. Later, the money was deposited in Justice SK Sinha's account.
On July 10 of 2019, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Director Syed Iqbal Hossain filed the graft case with its Integrated District Office-1 of Dhaka in this regard.
On December 8 that year, Investigation Officer Md Benjir Ahammad, also ACC Director, pressed charges against against SK Sinha and 10 others in the case. On August 13 last year, the court framed charges against them.
Justice Sinha resigned on November 11, 2017, from abroad. He is now in the USA.