3 witnesses testify in graft case against former CJ Sinha

DHAKA, Aug 25, 2020 (BSS) – Three witnesses today testified in a case against 11 people including former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha for allegedly embezzling Taka four crore from then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad.

The witnesses are– Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director and recording officer of the case Md Monirul Islam, Farmers Bank Gulshan Branch assistant vice-president Mrinal Mazumder and executive officer of the same branch Rezaul Hasan.

The witnesses testified at Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 and were cross-examined later. Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam then adjourned the hearing till September 1.

Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 on August 13 framed charges in the case.

Investigation Officer (IO) and ACC director Benjir Ahmed filed the charge-sheet in the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge KM Imrul Qayes on December 10, 2019.

The court, however, on February 20, 2020, transferred the case to Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 for further proceedings.

The anti-graft body filed the case on July 10, 2019, for embezzling Taka four crore from then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad.

The other accused are– former Farmers Bank managing director AKM Shameem, first vice-presidents Swapan Kumar Roy and Shafiuddin Askaree, senior executive vice-president Gazi Salauddin, vice-president M Lutful Haque, bank’s entrepreneur director Md Mahbubul Haque Chisty alias Babul Chisty, bank clients Md Shahjahan, Niranjan Chandra Saha, his uncle Ranajit Chandra Saha, and Ranajit’s wife Santree Roy.

According to the allegation, Md Shahjahan and Niranjan took the money on loan from then Farmers Bank, which was later transferred to Justice Sinha’s Sonali Bank account, showing it was earned from selling of his (Sinha’s) house.