Verdict in case against Surendra Kumar Sinha postponed

Former chief justice Surendra Kumar SinhaBSS file photo

The verdict in the case against 11 people, including former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, for embezzling Tk 40 million from Farmers Bank (now Padma Bank) through fraud and forgery has been postponed again. The new date for verdict is set 9 November.

Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-4 set a new date for the verdict on Thursday. ACC Public Prosecutor (PP) Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

PP Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said the verdict in the case was scheduled for Thursday. The court has set 9 November as the new date for the verdict.

The hearing of the arguments of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and defence in the case ended on 14 September. The date for the verdict was later set for 5 October. The verdict was not pronounced on that day as judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam was on leave.

Mohammad Ali Hossain, the acting judge of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-4, set 21 October for the verdict on 5 October. Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-4 gave a new date for the verdict on Thursday.

The other accused in the case are Mahbubul Haque Chishti, former chairman of the then audit committee of Farmers Bank, Gazi Salahuddin, senior executive vice president and former head of credit of Farmers Bank, AKM Shamim, former managing director (MD), Swapan Kumar Roy, former first vice president, Lutful Haque, vice president, Gulshan branch first vice president Safiuddin Askari, SK Sinha's alleged PS Ranjit Chandra Saha, Ranjit's wife Santri Roy, Tangail's Md. Shahjahan and Niranjan Chandra Saha.

Four accused in the case are absconding. They are SK Sinha, Safiuddin Askari, Ranjit Chandra Saha and Santri Roy.

Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said 21 witnesses were produced in court on behalf of the ACC in the case. The testimony of the case ended on 24 August.

On 9 December, 2019, the ACC filed a chargesheet against 11 people, including SK Sinha. On 13 August last year, the court framed charges against 11 accused, including SK Sinha.