Ex-OC Pradeep appeals to HC challenging indictment order in graft case
Pradeep Kumar Das, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station, has filed a petition in the High Court seeking the cancellation of an indictment order in a case over acquiring wealth illegally, reports UNB.
Advocate Masud Alam filed the petition on behalf of OC Pradeep, confirmed Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on Sunday. The petition also sought the suspension of the judicial proceedings of the case.
On 15 December last year, a Chattogram court indicted Pradeep in this case.
Earlier on 1 September, the court accepted a charge sheet in the graft case against the sacked OC and his wife Chumki.
Assistant director of ACC Chattogram zone, Md Riaz Uddin submitted the charge sheet on 26 July.
However, Chumki has been absconding since Pradeep's arrest.
On 23 August 2020, ACC filed the case against Pradeep, now in jail and undergoing trial in Major (retd) Sinha murder case, and his wife for amassing wealth worth Tk 40 million.
ACC sources said the anti-graft watchdog’s investigation against Pradeep started in 2018.
On 20 April last year, Pradeep and his wife were asked to submit their wealth statement and they submitted their wealth statements in June that year.
After a long investigation, the ACC found evidence that the couple acquired assets worth more than Tk 40 million illegally.
On 31 July, 2020, Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check-post in Baharchhara Union of Cox's Bazar while returning to town after filming for a documentary.
On 5 August, Sinha's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with Teknaf Senior Judicial Magistrate Court accusing nine members of law enforcement agencies of being involved in the killing, including Pradeep Kumar Das and Baharchhara police outpost inspector Liakat Ali.
On 13 December 13, 2020, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge sheet against 15 people, including police source Ayaz and three APBn members, in connection with the case filed over Sinha's murder at a checkpost manned by APBn, where officers of the Teknaf police station intercepted Sinha's car.