HC asks MP Papul’s wife, daughter to surrender by 28 Dec
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed the wife and daughter of Kazi Shahid Islam Papul, MP, arrested in Kuwait on the charges of money laundering and human trafficking, to surrender to the trial court by 28 December.
Kazi Shahid Islam Papul Papul’s wife Selina Islam is also an MP, from reserve seat, of the 11th parliament.
A virtual High Court division bench comprising justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder and justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order, reports state-run news agency BSS.
Lawyer Mohammad Khurshid Alam Khan was present on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the court while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
Senior lawyer Abdul Baset Majumder submitted the plea of Papul’s wife and daughter.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told the news agency that the court gave Papul’s wife and daughter 10 days to surrender on 10 December, but they could not do so due to the lower court vacation.
So, they appealed to the High Court to amend the order, and after hearing the appeal, the High Court today ordered them to surrender by 28 December.
On 26 November, Papul’s wife MP Selina Islam, sister-in-law Jasmine Pradhan and daughter Wafa Islam applied for bail in the High Court.
On 11 November, the ACC filed a case against MP Papul and his wife, sister-in-law and daughter for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth more than Tk 2.31 billion.
According to the case, Jasmine set up a so-called company called ‘Lilabali’ to launder the ill-gotten money of her sister Selina Islam and brother-in-law Shahid Islam Papul while she was a student.
The ACC questioned Selina Islam and Jasmine on 22 July as part of an investigation into allegations of money laundering and illegal acquisition of assets against Papul.
On 22 June, the ACC sent a letter to Bangladesh Bank to suspend all personal and business accounts of Papul, his wife Selina, daughter Wafa Islam and sister-in-law Jasmine in domestic and foreign banks and financial institutions on the same allegation.
Currently Papul is in Kuwaiti jail on charges of money laundering and human trafficking.