A Dhaka court has sentenced ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq and niece Azmina Siddiq Ruponti to seven years in prison in two cases filed over plot corruption in Rajuk’s Purbachal New Town Project.
Judge Md Robiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 on Monday delivered the judgement.
In the same cases, Hasina and her niece Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, also British MP, have been sentenced to ten and four years in prison respectively.
Each of the convicts has been fined Tk1,00,000, with an additional six months of imprisonment in default of payment.
Other accused have been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment along with a fine of Tk1,00,000 each.
Security was tightened on the court premises in the morning ahead of the verdict announcement.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the cases alleging that Hasina abused her power by allocating two government plots 10 kathas each to her nephew Radwan and niece Azmina.
According to case details, the ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed the case on 13 January last year against Radwan, alleging abuse of power and irregularities in obtaining a 10-katha plot under the Purbachal project.
Hasina and Tulip were among 16 accused named in the case. Following investigation, the same ACC official submitted a charge sheet on 10 March last year against 18 accused. During the trial, 28 witnesses testified before the court.
Earlier, on 31 July last year, Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 framed charges against the accused in the two cases and ordered the commencement of trial.
