Jail
Babar gets 8 years in graft case
A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar to eight years in jail in a corruption case.
Judge Mohammad Shahidul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-7 handed down the punishment to Babar after holding him guilty of amassing ill-gotten wealth worth Tk 7.5 crore and hiding the information.
Read:Judgment in Babar’s graft case on Oct 12
The court also imposed a fine of Tk 10,000 on Babar and ordered the forfeiture of over Tk 6.26 crore in his bank account. Babar will have to undergo an additional three months' imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.
As the convict has been behind the bars in this case since July 26, 2007, the court said that his sentence would be deducted from the period already served as an undertrial.
However, Babar’s counsel has appealed to the court against the judgment.
On January 13, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the corruption case against Babar at the Ramna Model Police Station.
On July 16, 2008, deputy assistant secretary of ACC, Rupok Kumar Saha, submitted a chargesheet against him.
Read: Babar, 18 others to die; Tarique among 19 get life term
Babar was arrested from his Gulshan residence on May 28, 2007. He was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in an arms case on October 30, 2007.
He was also sentenced to death in the 10-truck arms haul and August 21 grenade attack cases.
In 2018, a fast-track tribunal sentenced 19 people, including Babar, to death in the case filed over the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.
DGHS driver Malek’s wife lands in jail
A Dhaka court on Thursday sent Nargis Begum, wife of former driver of Directorate General of Health Services Abdul Malek, to jail in a case over accumulating wealth illegally.
Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of Senior Special Judge's Court of passed the order rejecting her bail plea when she surrendered before the court.
On Tuesday, ACC approved a case against Malek and his wife Nargis.
Assistant director of ACC's head office Syed Nazrul Islam lodged the case on February 14,2021.
According to the case, Abdul Malek (currently suspended) amassed Tk 1,50,31,810 illegally but submitted a false statement of Tk 93,53,648 to ACC.
Malek was also made lone accused in the case for concealing information regarding his wealth.
Later Malek and his wife Nargis Begum were made accused in the case.
READ: DGHS driver Malek’s wife lands in jail
According to the case statement, Malek directly assisted his wife in acquiring wealth worth Tk 1,10,92,050 beyond known sources of income.
Earlier on Monday, A Dhaka court sentenced Abdul Malek to 30 years’ imprisonment in an arms case -- 15 years each under two sections of the relevant act.
READ: DGHS driver gets 30 years in arms case
Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty's hubby walks out of jail on bail
A day after getting bail in a pornographic films case, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra walked out of a jail in the Indian city of Mumbai on Tuesday.
Raj was arrested on July 19 by the crime branch of Mumbai Police for allegedly making and uploading on OTT (over-the-top) platforms several pornograhic films. Last week, Mumbai Police filed a 1,400-page chargesheet in the case.
In an inspirational social media post, Shilpa wrote: "There are always going to be moments that push you to the ground. In times like these, I truly believe that if you fall seven times, make yourself strong enough to be able to stand back up eight times."
"This rise will demand a lot of courage, grit, will-power, and strength during some of your most difficult moments. But, these qualities will only make you more resilient and robust in this journey called life. You will come back with renewed determination and motivation," she added.
After hours of grilling, Raj was arrested on July 19 by the crime branch of Mumbai Police in connection with the pornograhic film case. A total of 21 people have been arrested in the case so far.
According to Mumbai Police, the pornograhic films were shot in India by Raj's movie production firm and then transferred to Britain via a UK-based company.
"There was a case registered with the crime branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. We've arrested Raj Kundra in this case as he appears to be the key conspirator of this," the police said then.
The 45-year-old British-Indian businessman insists he is innocent.
In 2013, Raj hogged the media limelight after he was grilled by Delhi Police in connection with a betting and spot-fixing scandal that rocked the country's multi-million dollar cricketing tournament, the Indian Premier League. He's a co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals team.
Shilpa and Raj tied the knot in 2009, after dating for a couple of months. They have two children -- a son and a daughter.
A former model, Shilpa made her Bollywood debut in the thriller Baazigar (1993) starring Shah Rukh Khan as an anti-hero in the lead role. She went on to act in many other hit flicks, including action comedy Main Khiladi Tu Anari and romantic film Dhadkan.
Shilpa is also a celebrity endorser for several leading brands and products as well as a number of fitness campaigns such as the Fit India Movement, launched by the Indian government.
HC sought report on facilities for inmates in jail
The High Court on Monday sought a report on the kind of facilities provided to the convicted inmates incarcerated in condemned and other cells in jails across the country.
The court directed Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to submit the report obtaining information from the concerned jail authorities.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Mostafizur Rahman sought the information during a hearing on the writ petition filed challenging the legality of keeping death penalty convicts in condemn cells.
The court adjourned the hearing on the petition till October 31.
Lawyer of the petitioner Mohammad Shishir Monir said the number of death penalty orders at the lower courts has increased along with the number of crimes.
As the death reference cases do not get dismissed in time a defendant has to spend ages in a condemned cell, he said.
The attorney general said the condition in jails has changed a lot with time as inmates can buy food from the canteen, and can use other facilities like using cell phones.
A senior justice of the HC bench then suggested keeping a record of the increased facilities in different cells of the jails across the country throughout the last few years.
The attorney general then prayed for time till the next hearing to submit the report.
READ: HC orders investigation on assets and bank accounts of Rajarbagh Pir
On September 2, three convicts condemned to death incarcerated at Chattogram Jail filed a writ petition challenging the legality of keeping a death-row convict in condemn cell before the completion of trial and clemency appeal to the President being dismissed.
The writ petition said the death penalty is not effective until the High Court approves it. Yet after High Court’s approval, a convict can appeal to the appellate division for reviewing the order and the chance to appeal for clemency to the President.
READ: HC grants anticipatory bail to 11 lawyers in a DSA case
Until completion of this process, keeping convicts in condemned cell violates their basic right provided by paragraphs 27,31, and 32 in the constitution.
37 Bangladeshi returns after serving jail term in India
Thirty-seven Bangladeshi nationals, most of them teenagers, returned home on Monday after serving up to three years of jail term in India for illegal entry into the neighbouring country.
Petrapole Immigration Police handed the returnees – 13 girls, 20 boys and four women to Benapole Immigration Police in the evening.
They were trafficked to India through different points of the border with promises of jobs, but unfortunately landed in jail. The boys and girls were aged between 12 and 18 when they got trafficked.
READ: 27 more Bangladeshis return through Darshana checkpost
Binoy Krishna Mallik, executive director of Jashore Rights, said the victims went to India’s Bangalore three and half years back.
Ahsan Habib, officer-in-charge of Benapole Check-post Immigration, said the Bangladeshi nationals returned through travel permits.
They were later handed over to Benapole Port police from where two NGOs will receive them, he said.
READ: 30 more Bangladeshis rescued from the Mediterranean return from Tunisia: BRAC
The returnees will have to stay there for 14-day institutional quarantine, he added.
Thank govt for suspending Khaleda’s sentence, Hasan tells BNP
BNP should remain thankful to the government for yet another six-month suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence under an official order, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Monday.
“If that order is revoked tomorrow, Khaleda Zia will have to return to jail immediately. I think the BNP needs to keep this in mind as well,” said the minister.
Hasan, joint general secretary of the Awami League, said this while replying to questions from journalists after launching the BSRF Barta, a publication of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum at the ministry’s conference room.
Also read: Khaleda’s conditional release extended by another six months
Asked about BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comment that the government is afraid of freeing Khaleda the minister said, BNP should rather thank the government for suspension of her sentence for another six months.
Elaborating Hasan said BNP chairperson was not released on bail or freed by any order of the court. “Khaleda Zia is out of prison because the prime minister suspended her sentence by exercising power given by the law,” he said.
Hasan also brushed aside another BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s recent call to the people to take to the streets demanding that the next national election is held under a neutral caretaker government.
He said the next election will be held according to the constitution which does not provide for any caretaker government.
Also read: Govt restricting Khaleda from going abroad out of ‘fear’: Fakhrul
He said elections are held under the Election Commission. When the election schedule will be announced, all the polls-related government officials and employees will work under the Election Commission, he said.
The election-time government, Hasan said, cannot transfer a single police constable after announcement of the polls schedule. The Election Commission has already conducted many elections very successfully, he added.
He said BNP’s demand for a caretaker government has no constitutional basis and so it will fail to get any response from the people like it happened in the past 12 and a half years.
President of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum Tapan Biswas and General Secretary Masudul Haque and other leaders of the forum were present at function.
Money laundering: Sylhet DIG(Prison) Partha Gopal lands in jail
A court here on Sunday sent Partha Gopal Banik, the suspended deputy inspector general (prisons) of Sylhet division, to jail in a money laundering case.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 passed the order when Partha Gopal surrendered before the court in the case.
On June 17, Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 granted bail to Partha Gopal. Later, the Anti- Corruption Commission submitted a petition seeking cancellation of the bail order which was granted later.
Also read: Sylhet DIG Prisons Partha lands in jail
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim asked him to surrender before the court within September 20.
On January 25, 2021, the HC dismissed a review appeal filed by Partha seeking exemption from the graft charges in a case filed after the recovery of Tk 80 lakh from his residence during a drive in 2019.
Partha filed the review petition with the HC after his appeal was rejected by a subordinate court on November 4.
On July 28, 2019, ACC seized Tk 80 lakh from his house in the city’s Dhanmondi area after interrogating him at the ACC headquarters over corruption .
Owner of e-orange.shop, 2 others land in jail
A Dhaka court on Thursday sent three people including owner of virtual outlet e-orange.shop to jail in a fraud case filed over embezzlement of Tk 1,100 crore from consumers.
The accused are its owner Sonia Mehzabin, her husband Masukur Rahman and Aman Ullah, Chief Operating Officer of e-Orange.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah passed the order rejecting their bail petition when they were produced before it on completion of their 5-day remand.
Read: Sub-Inspector of police sent to jail in rape case
Earlier on Aug 23, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Morshed Al Mamun Bhuiyan placed the accused on a 5-day remand in the fraud case.
On Aug 17, the court sent them to jail rejecting their bail prayers when they surrendered to Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Abubakar Siddique's court.
On August 16, an aggrieved customer of E-Orange Md Taherul Islam filed a fraud case with Gulshan police station in presence of 37 other customers who testified against the accused.
Owners of e-orange.shop sent to jail over fraud case
A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent owners of virtual outlet e-orange.shop Sonia Mehzabin and her husband Masukur Rahman in a fraud case filed over embezzlement of Tk 1,100 crore from consumers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique passed the order rejecting their bail pleas.
Earlier, the accused surrendered before the court seeking bail.
Also read: Film actress Eka sent to jail in two cases
On Monday an aggrieved customer of E-Orange Md Taherul Islam filed a fraud case with Gulshan police station in presence of 37 other customers who testified against the accused.
According to the case, on April 21, Taherul ordered a product from eorgance.shop paid in advance. But the online shop failed to deliver the product on the promised date. Neither did it return the money.
The outlet has posted notice on its Facebook page many times seeking more time from the customers to deliver the products. But the products didn’t come.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Owner sent to jail, his 2 sons granted bail
Besides, the gift vouchers the company provided to shop in different outlets were also not being honoured. They said the company didn’t pay them their money.
Taherul said he filed the case in fear of losing his money after he came to know the company’s ownership has changed hands.
Helena Jahangir gets bail, but cannot walk out of jail
A Dhaka court Tuesday granted bail to ‘Joyjatra IPTV’ chairman Helena Jahangir in a case filed under the Telecommunication Act but she needs to secure bail in other cases to walk out of jail.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Sufian Md Noman passed the order on a bond of Tk 20,000 during a hearing on the bail plea filed by advocate Shafiqul Islam. The state side stood against the bail plea during the hearing.
Court sources said Helena Jahangir will stay behind the bars until she gets bail in another case filed over fraud with Pallabi police station and in cases filed with Gulshan police station under the Digital Security Act (DSA) and Narcotics Control Act.
According to the case complaint, Helena Jahangir with her two associates Hajera Khatun, 40, and Sanaullah Nuri, 47, and other involved have embezzled a large amount of money in the name of appointing district correspondents in Joyjatra IPTV claiming it as a satellite channel which is not even a registered channel.
READ: Helena Jahangir put on 14-day remand in four cases
They used to extort Tk 3,000 every month from those correspondents.
On the night of July 29, members of Rapid Action Battalion-1 (Rab) arresed Helena Jahangir from her Gulshan residence, four days after she was removed from her post of a ruling party sub-committee.
The elite force members "seized foreign liquor, illegal walkie-talkie sets, casino equipment and deer skins" during a four-hour raid on her home.
Later another raid was conducted at Joyjatra IPTV station in Mirpur and it was sealed after recovering illegal equipement.
READ: 2 associates of Helena Jahangir held in Dhaka
Later the court placed Helena on a 17-day remand in four cases.