DIG Mizan gets 14 years’ jail in graft case

Staff Reporter  :
A Dhaka court on Wednesday sentenced former Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) Mizanur Rahman to 14 years’ imprisonment in a case filed on charge of amassing wealth beyond known source of income and concealing information in his wealth statement.

Mizan’s wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew Mahmudul Hasan, a suspended sub-inspector of police, and his brother Mahbubur Rahman were also jailed for seven years for abetting Mizan to acquire the illegal wealth.

Judge of the Special Judge’s Court-6 of Dhaka, Monjurul Imam, delivered the verdict after concluding the trial in the case.
In his judgment, the judge said the prosecution was able to prove the charges brought against all the accused beyond doubt and they were given the punishment for committing such offences.
Mizan was also fined Tk 0.15 million, in default of which he will have to serve nine more months in jail. The time that Mizan has already served will be deducted from his sentence, said the judge.
Lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of DIG Mizan said the court sentenced the former DIG six years, five years and three years for three different charges and the convictions will continue simultaneously.

During the judgment, Mizan, Mahmudul and Mahbubur were present at the court. Ratna was tried in absentia. Her punishment will be effective from the day of her arrest or surrender, said the judge.
The judge observed that Mizan was a senior official of the police force but he had committed heinous offences for acquiring wealth illegally. So, he could not get any facilities from the court.
On June 24 of 2019, the ACC filed the case with its Integrated District Office in Dhaka against Mizan and three others. A charge of amassing wealth of Tk 32.86 million beyond known source of income and concealing information o Tk 30.7 million in his wealth statement was brought in the case against them.

After an investigation, the ACC submitted a charge sheet against them on January 30, 2020. On October 20 of 2020, the judge framed charges against Mizan and the three others in the case.
Lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji appeared in the court hearing on behalf of DIG Mizan, lawyer Shahinur Islam appeared for Mahmudul Hasan, while lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kazal represented the ACC.
Earlier on February 23, last year, another Dhaka court sentenced Mizan for three years in jail in another graft case.