Ex CJ Sinha gets 11-year jail in graft case

Live Corespondent: A court here today convicted and sentenced former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar (SK) Sinha to 11-year imprisonment in a case filed for embezzling Taka four crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad. 

Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 pronounced the judgement at the crowded courtroom. The former Chief Justice was sentenced to seven-year imprisonment and fined Taka 45 lakh on the charge of money laundering and was handed down four years jail and fined Taka 50 thousand for embezzling the money. But the judgement said the sentences under both the charges will run concurrently. 

The court also ordered to seize Taka 78 lakh of Justice Sinha under state exchequer.  The court in its observation said the loan was sanctioned for the former chief justice by violating the credit policy of the bank through influence, adding, "It has also been proven that the money was laundered abroad." 

Seven accused out of the total 11 in their statements in self defence on August 29, had pleaded not guilty and demanded justice from the court. These seven accused are- Babul Chisty, AKM Shameem, M Lutful Haque, Gazi Salauddin, Swapan Kumar Roy, and bank clients Md Shahjahan and Niranjon Chandra Saha. 

Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 on August 13, 2020, framed charges in the case. ACC director Benjir Ahmed had filed the charge-sheet in the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions 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-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on July 10, 2019, for embezzling Taka four crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad.

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. 

Dhaka, 9 November (campuslive24.com)//BSC

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