BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Tuesday described the conviction of former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha by a special court in a money-laundering case as a ‘bad precedent’’."There’s nothing to condemn or accept (verdict against Sinha). My personal opinion is that SK Sinha was good as long as he could appease the government’s desires as the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice has been sentenced to 11 years; an example has been set,” he said.Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said this verdict has also sent out a message that there is no guarantee that those who are now in the court will never face the same fate. READ: Ex-CJ Sinha gets 11 years in graft case “If the job is to protect by satisfying the (current) government, then you may have to go to jail to satisfy the next one.  Such an example can never be good for any nation. But the current Prime Minister can’t understand it,” he observed.Gayeshwar, also a BNP standing committee member, said the day Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will realize the consequences of bad practices she will have nothing to do.Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas), the cultural wing of BNP, arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking what it calls “civil-military uprising’ on November 7 in 1975.Earlier in the day, a special court in Dhaka sentenced former chief justice Surendra Kumar (SK) Sinha to 11 years’ imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 4 crore.The court also fined the ex-chief justice Tk 45 lakh, in default, to suffer six months more rigorous imprisonment. READ: No one is above law, Sinha’s conviction proves that: Law Minister Gayeshwar said politicians should not have any greed for power if they do politics for the welfare of people. “If power is meant only for looting and making fortune, then Sheikh Hasina is a perfect example in Bangladesh, and she is successful in that case.”He also said Hasina has been governing the country standing against the hopes and aspirations of people.

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said it has been proved with the conviction of former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha that no one is above the law. “The verdict proves no one is above the law. I think an example has been set with this. If anyone holds any constitutional or top government post he or she has to be accountable for his or her activities,” Anisul told reporters at the secretariat. “I’m not very happy with it. This cannot be a pleasant experience for me. He was the chief justice, and I’m a lawyer. I’ve been involved in the judiciary all my life,” said the minister. “From this verdict, we should learn that transparency and accountability should always be maintained, and those who hold important positions of the state have to be more careful,” he added. READ: Ex-CJ Sinha gets 11 years in graft case Replying to a question, he said, “In Bangladesh history, no chief justice had committed such unlawful work. So, there was no need to hold any trial.” Replying to another question, the minister said this verdict proves that the rule of law exists and the nation has come out of the culture of injustice which was there from 1975 to 1996. Conviction Earlier in the day, a special court in Dhaka sentenced former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha to 11 years’ imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 4 crore. The court also fined S K Sinha Tk 45 lakh, in default, to suffer six months more rigorous imprisonment.It also ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate Tk 78 lakh from his bank account. The court also sentenced eight other accused in the case to different jail terms while acquitted two others -- Md Shahjahan and Niranjan Chandra Saha --as allegations brought against them were not proved. Former managing director of Farmers Bank AKM Shamim got four years’ jail with a fine of Tk 50,000 while Santri Roy Simi and Ranjit Chandra Saha were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each with a fine of Tk 10,000. READ: CJ Sinha corruption case: Spl court defers judgment to Oct 21 The remaining four accused -- Gazi Salahuddin, senior executive vice president and former head of credit division of the bank, Swapan Kumar Roy, first vice president (Credit division), Shafiuddin Askari Ahmed, vice president Md Lutful Haque -- were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each and fined Tk 25,000 each. On July 10, 2019, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case accusing former chief justice SK Sinha and 10 others of accumulating illegal wealth and laundering Tk 4 crore.

A special court in Dhaka Tuesday deferred to October 21 the pronouncement of its judgment in the graft  case against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others. As Dhaka Special Judge (Court-4) Sheikh Nazmul Alam Khan has gone on leave,  acting judge Ali Hossain fixed October 21 as the new date. Read: CJ Sinha case: Judgment on Oct 5 On September 14, the court fixed October 5 as the judgment day in the graft case filed against the former chief justice and 10 others for laundering Tk 4 crore. This was after both the state lawyer and the defence counsel concluded their arguments. On August 29, seven of the 11 accused in the case pleaded "not guilty" in the case. They are Mahbubul Haque Chisty, former audit committee chairman of Farmers Bank, former managing director of the bank AKM Shamim, first vice presidents Swapan Kumar Rat and Md Lutful Haque, and former SEVPs Gazi Salahudiin, Md Shahjahan and Niranjan Chandra Saha. On August 24, the defence lawyers grilled the investigating officer of the case, Benazir Ahmed, the director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Some 21 witnesses had testified in the case. On July 10, 2019, the ACC filed the case accusing former chief justice SK Sinha and 10 others of accumulating illegal wealth and laundering Tk 4 crore. Read: Money laundering case: EX- CJ Sinha among 11 indicted On September 25, 2019, the anti-graft body summoned five officials of Farmers Bank for interrogation over the deposit of Tk 4 crore in CJ Sinha’s account with the Supreme Court branch of Sonali Bank. On December 10, 2019, the investigation officer in the case filed a chargesheet against the 11 accused. On August 13, 2020, a court framed charges against the 11, including Sinha.

A Dhaka court on Tuesday fixed October 5 for delivering its judgment in a graft case filed against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others over laundering Tk 4 crore. Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Sheikh Nazmul Alam fixed the date after concluding law point arguments from both the state and the defence counsel. Read:Court wraps up witness statements in graft case against ex-chief justice SK Sinha Earlier, on August 29, seven of the 11 accused in the case defended themselves as innocent, and hoped they will get justice. They are Mahbubul Haque Chisty, former audit committee chairman of Farmers Bank, former managing director of the bank AKM Shamim, first vice president Swapan Kumar Rat, VP Md Lutful Haque, former SEVP Gazi Salahudiin, Md Shahjahan and Niranjan Chandra Saha. On August 24, the defence lawyers questioned the investigation officer of the case Benazir Ahmed, director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). So far, the court has recorded the statements of 21 witnesses in this case. On July 10, 2019, the ACC filed the case accusing former chief justice SK Sinha and 10 others of accumulating illegal wealth and laundering Tk 4 crore. Read:Money laundering case: EX- CJ Sinha among 11 indicted On September 25, 2019, the anti-graft body summoned five officials of the Farmers Bank Ltd for interrogation over the deposit of Tk 4 crore in SK Sinha’s account with the Supreme Court branch of Sonali Bank Ltd. On December 10, 2019, the investigation officer of the case filed a chargesheet against the 11 accused. On August 13, 2020, a court framed charges against the 11 including SK Sinha.

A Dhaka court on Thursday framed charges against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others in a money laundering case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

A Dhaka court fixed August 13 for hearing on framing charges against former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others in a money laundering case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

A court here on Wednesday directed authorities concerned to publish an advertisement in two national dailies asking former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others to appear before it on February 20 in a case filed on charges of misappropriating and laundering Tk 4 crore.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday approved a chargesheet against 11 people, including former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, in a case filed for reportedly misappropriating  Tk 4 crore.

Dhaka, July 26 (UNB) – Surendra Kumar Sinha, the former chief justice of Bangladesh, has reportedly sought political asylum in Canada.