A Dhaka court has sentenced expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mafizur Rahman Sumon to three years and six months in prison each for illegally amassing wealth worth Tk6.15 crore.
Judge Abu Taher of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 delivered the verdict on Thursday. The court also fined them Tk5 lakh each, in default, they will serve an additional six months in rigorous imprisonment.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case against the couple on August 4, 2020, accusing them of acquiring assets worth Tk6.24 crore beyond their known sources of income. Police submitted the chargesheet on March 12, 2021.
According to the prosecution, on February 23, 2020, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized counterfeit notes and foreign currencies worth Tk2.5 lakh from two flats belong to the couple.
Authorities also recovered Tk58 lakh in cash from those apartments on Indira Road and a presidential suite at a five-star hotel in Dhaka.
Investigations revealed the couple owned two additional flats, two land plots in Narsingdi valued at around Tk 2 crore, and several luxury vehicles.
Papia and Sumon, a former Chhatra League leader, were arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on February 22, 2020. Three separate cases were filed against them, two under the Arms Act and Special Powers Act at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, and another under the Special Powers Act-1974 at Airport Police Station.