The recording of investigation officer’s testimony has concluded in the Tk25 crore embezzlement and money laundering case against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others. With this, a total of 55 prosecution witnesses completed their depositions in the case involving United Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL).
On Sunday, the deposition of investigating officer, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Md Mashiur Rahman, was recorded before Chattogram Divisional Special Judge Mizanur Rahman.
ACC Public Prosecutor (PP) Mokarram Hossain confirmed that the court has fixed 25 October for the defence to cross-examine the investigating officer.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) and the charge sheet, a loan of Tk 25 crore was obtained from UCBL by falsely presenting Mohammad Farman Ullah Chowdhury, a protocol officer of Aramit Group, as the owner of a paper-only entity named “Vision Trading.”
The ACC alleged that the funds were subsequently drawn through employees of Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, laundered abroad via hundi, and used to purchase properties overseas.
The charge sheet states that the money was embezzled between 13 October 2019 and 13 February 2020.
On 5 January, Mashiur submitted the charge sheet to the Chattogram Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, naming 36 accused and listing 92 witnesses.
Those charge-sheeted include Javed, his wife and former UCBL chairman Rukhmila Zaman, former bank directors and officials, as well as officers and employees of Javed’s family business, Aramit Group.
The ACC had initially filed the case against 31 individuals.
Following the deaths of two original suspects, the ACC recommended dropping their names from judicial proceedings, while seven more individuals were implicated during the probe, bringing the total number of accused in the charge sheet to 36.
