A Dhaka court on Sunday ordered the official beginning of trial against Regent Group chairman Mohammad Shahed after framing charges in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission over acquiring illegal assets.

Judge Mohmmad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-10, passed the order rejecting an appeal of the accused seeking acquittal from charges.

The court has fixed May 20 to hear the testimonies of the witnesses in this case, said advocate Mahmud Hossain Jahangir, lawyer representing ACC.

Also read: HC rejects Shahed’s bail application

Some of Shahed’s lawyers have sought bail in the case mentioning his long imprisonment and illness. They sought acquittal saying, "This case is false as Shahid does not possess this much wealth and he did not give any false information.”

Meanwhile the ACC lawyer said the appeal should be rejected as Shahed is a habitual offender.

The court also did not approve of the appeal to bring Shahed separately in a special vehicle during the hearings pressed by his lawyers, said ACC lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir.

On March 1, 2021, ACC Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwary filed the case against Shahed for acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 1.69 crore.

On February 2, this year, ACC submitted a chargesheet in this case to the court.

On July 6, 2020, Rab raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital. During the operation, fake Covid test reports, and various irregularities including collection of money from patients in the name of Covid treatment were unveiled.

The next day, a case was filed against 17 people at Uttara West Police Station.

Also read: Regent’s Shahed, 2 others indicted in fraud case

On July 15, from the border area of Satkhira, Regent Group and Regent Hospital Chairman Shahed was arrested by RAB. Shahed has been in jail since then.

In 2020, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment in an arms case.

More than 36 cases have been filed against Shahed on allegations of different irregularities.