Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Thursday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe into the forgery in the documents annexed with a bail applications submitted by Lakshmipur-2 lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul’s wife Selina Islam and their daughter Wafa Islam in a money laundering case.
The ACC has been asked to complete the investigation within two months over the incident of forgery in the documents issued by a Bangladesh Bank official that had been identified by the court during the hearing of the bail petition.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim gave the order after holding hearing on the bail petition.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared in the court on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission, while advocate Sayed Ahmed Raza appeared for the bail seekers.
Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju appeared for NRB Commercial Bank, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state and advocate Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz appeared for the Bangladesh Bank.
Later Mr Khurshid Alam Khan said, “The court ordered to probe as the allegation of document forgery had been found true in the primary state. The ACC has been asked to submit the report within two months.”
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case on November 11 this year with its Integrated Dhaka Office-1 against Papul, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan on allegation of money laundering.
ACC brought charges of laundering Tk 1.48 billion and transferring the money illegally against them.
Later on November 26 this year Papul’s wife, daughter and sister in law filed three separate bail petitions with the High Court.
According to the case statement, though 23-year-old Jesmin has no source of income of her own, the ACC has found illegal assets worth Tk 231 million. Hiding behind companies that existed on paper alone, Jesmin Pradhan’s five bank accounts were used to launder Tk 1.48 billion between 2012 and 2020.
During the hearing on December 10 last year on two bail petitions filed by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam, their lawyer submitted a letter in the court issued by Md Arefin Ahsan Miah, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Bank.
The letter said ‘money laundering did not appear’ in cases of FDR and borrowing of the money by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam. But on the next date of hearing, December 22 last year, the BB official informed the court that he did not state such opinion in his letter.
In that circumstance, the Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appealed to the court for calling the original records from the Bangladesh Bank’s concerned department. After holding hearing on the issue the court on January 12 this year called for the records.
Lawyer of Bangladesh Bank Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz said the documents of Bangladesh Bank do not match with the documents given with the bail applications. So, the matter should be investigated, added the lawyer.
After hearing the lawyers the court ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe into the forgery in the documents annexed with bail applications.
The High Court on Thursday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe into the forgery in the documents annexed with a bail applications submitted by Lakshmipur-2 lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul’s wife Selina Islam and their daughter Wafa Islam in a money laundering case.
The ACC has been asked to complete the investigation within two months over the incident of forgery in the documents issued by a Bangladesh Bank official that had been identified by the court during the hearing of the bail petition.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim gave the order after holding hearing on the bail petition.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared in the court on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission, while advocate Sayed Ahmed Raza appeared for the bail seekers.
Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju appeared for NRB Commercial Bank, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state and advocate Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz appeared for the Bangladesh Bank.
Later Mr Khurshid Alam Khan said, “The court ordered to probe as the allegation of document forgery had been found true in the primary state. The ACC has been asked to submit the report within two months.”
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case on November 11 this year with its Integrated Dhaka Office-1 against Papul, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan on allegation of money laundering.
ACC brought charges of laundering Tk 1.48 billion and transferring the money illegally against them.
Later on November 26 this year Papul’s wife, daughter and sister in law filed three separate bail petitions with the High Court.
According to the case statement, though 23-year-old Jesmin has no source of income of her own, the ACC has found illegal assets worth Tk 231 million. Hiding behind companies that existed on paper alone, Jesmin Pradhan’s five bank accounts were used to launder Tk 1.48 billion between 2012 and 2020.
During the hearing on December 10 last year on two bail petitions filed by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam, their lawyer submitted a letter in the court issued by Md Arefin Ahsan Miah, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Bank.
The letter said ‘money laundering did not appear’ in cases of FDR and borrowing of the money by Selina Islam and Wafa Islam. But on the next date of hearing, December 22 last year, the BB official informed the court that he did not state such opinion in his letter.
In that circumstance, the Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appealed to the court for calling the original records from the Bangladesh Bank’s concerned department. After holding hearing on the issue the court on January 12 this year called for the records.
Lawyer of Bangladesh Bank Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz said the documents of Bangladesh Bank do not match with the documents given with the bail applications. So, the matter should be investigated, added the lawyer.
After hearing the lawyers the court ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe into the forgery in the documents annexed with bail applications.
