Hasina, 99 others indicted in 6 cases over Rajuk plot scam
Two separate courts here today framed charges in six cases filed against 100 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, over irregularities in allocations of plots in the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.
Of the six cases, Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in three cases, one against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, one against 18 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Azmina Siddiq, and another against Sheikh Hasina and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
The court fixed August 13 for starting to record the testimonies in the cases and issued arrest warrant against the accused.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, on the other hand, framed charges in one case against 12 people, including Sheikh Hasina; another case against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed Joy; and a third case against 18 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul.
It also issued arrest warrant against the accused as they are still at large. The court also set August 11 for recording the testimonies in the cases, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam told BSS.
The two courts on July 22 had set today for holding a hearing on charge framing in the six cases.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib on July 20 forwarded the matters to the Special Judge Court as the cases were ready for trial. The court passed the order as the accused refrained from appearing before the court in spite of its order in this connection.
Earlier on July 1, the court had ordered the publication of a gazette notification summoning 100 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, in the cases.
The ACC filed the six cases from January 12 to January 14, 2025. The concerned investigation officers filed charge sheets on March 10.
ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin filed one case against eight, including Sheikh Hasina, on January 14 for abusing power in allocating a 10-katha plot in the Purbachal New Town Project. Investigation officer and ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya on March 10 submitted the charge sheet against a total of 12 accused.
ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed the other case against 15, including Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy on the same day, in this connection. He submitted the charge sheet against 17 on March 10.
ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin on January 13, 2025, filed another case against 15 people including Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and daughters - Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq - on charges of abusing power to obtain plots from RAJUK. The ACC later submitted the charge sheet against 17.
The anti-graft body on the same day filed another case against 16, including Sheikh Hasina, Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq. The ACC later submitted a charge sheet against 18.
It also filed another case against Radwan Mujib Siddiq and 15 others on January 13. The anti-graft body later submitted a charge sheet against 18.
ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya, on January 12, filed another case against 16 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul. The commission later filed a charge sheet against 18 in this case.