Tulip graft case hearing deferred to Jan 11
The hearing on charge framing in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, daughter of Sheikh Rehana, and former RAJUK Assistant Legal Adviser-1 Sardar Mosharraf Hossain has been rescheduled to January 11 next year.
The case was filed over allegations that the accused, allegedly using undue influence, illegally obtained a flat owned by Eastern Housing Limited in the capital’s Gulshan-2 area without making any payment.
Following Tuesday’s hearing on September 1, Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 fixed January 11 for the next hearing.
ACC lawyer Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed the matter. He said the hearing on charge framing was scheduled for Tuesday. However, the defence sought additional time to prepare for the hearing. After hearing both sides, the court allowed the prayer and fixed the new date.
Earlier, on April 8, the court ordered the publication of a gazette through the Bangladesh Government Press (BG Press), directing the accused to appear before the court.
Following publication of the gazette, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz’s court fixed April 16 for further proceedings, including charge framing. The case was subsequently transferred to Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 for trial.
On February 18, the same court took cognizance of the charge sheet submitted by the ACC in the case. As the accused were not present before the court, arrest warrants were issued against them.
The ACC filed the case on April 15 last year against Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, former RAJUK Assistant Legal Adviser Shah Md Khazruzzaman and former Assistant Legal Adviser-1 Sardar Mosharraf Hossain.
According to the case statement, the accused allegedly acted in collusion and abused their positions to obtain possession of a flat owned by Eastern Housing Limited in Gulshan-2 without making any payment. The flat was later registered in their names, according to the allegations.
The flat is identified as B/201, House Nos. 5A and 5B (old), currently Nos. 113 and 11B (new), on Road No. 71 in Gulshan-2.
In July last year, accused Shah Md Khazruzzaman filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking a stay on the investigation into the case.
Following his petition, the High Court stayed the investigation against Khazruzzaman for three months. The ACC later moved the Chamber Court against the order but received a “no order” decision.
After completing its investigation, the ACC submitted a charge sheet on December 11 against Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Sardar Mosharraf Hossain under Sections 161, 165(A), 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The charges relate to allegations including abuse of position, forgery, use of forged documents and abetment in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition and registration of the flat.
