Court sets Jan 10 for framing charges against Samrat in graft case

A Dhaka Court on Monday fixed January 10 for framing charges against expelled Jubo League leader casino kingpin Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat .

Dhaka, Oct 25 :  A Dhaka Court on Monday fixed January 10 for framing charges against expelled Jubo League leader and casino kingpin Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in graft case.

The case was scheduled to be heard in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayesh on Monday. However, the prison authorities sent a custody warrant without appearing in court as Samrat was ill.

The court then fixed January 10 for holding the hearing on the charge sheet.

Subhash Kumar Ghosh, senior jail superintendent of Keraniganj Central Jail, said in the custody warrant that Samrat has been undergoing treatment in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital since November 24 last year. And so, it was not possible to produce him in court.

Earlier on Wednesday, the court issued a production warrant and ordered the prison authorities to produce Samrat before it on October 25 in a graft case.

According to the case, Samrat was accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 2.94 crore beyond his known sources of income. The Deputy Director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against him on November 12 in 2019.

On November 26 last year, the investigation officer of the case, Jahangir Alam, submitted a charge sheet before the court.

On October 6 in 2019, Rab arrested Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chauddagram in Cumilla. Rab later raided his Kakrail office on that day. During this time large quantities of foreign liquor, pistols and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office.

He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act and was sent to jail the same day, reports UNB.