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Ershad's wealth amassing case continues

Prices of articles out of proportion: Defence

By Staff Correspondent
Five prosecution witnesses yesterday deposed in the Special Judge Court trying ousted President Ershad for amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income.
The prosecution witnesses who helped investigating officers determine the prices of the articles found in Ershad’s residence said that the value of those Hems were calculated on the basis of their current market prices.
However Defence Counsel Sirajul Haque who cross-examined the witnesses tried to prove that the prices of the articles were exaggerated.
Prosecution witness Yar Alt, the caretaker of the Toshakhana. deposing in the Court said that he did not know whether the gifts of the Jatiya Parly would be Ireated as government property or not
Nikhil Chandra Bashak a merchant of Mouchak Market who helped the Bureau of Anil Corruption In determining the prices of sarees and golf caps, found in the residence of Ershad. said that he helped the investigating officers tn calculating the prices of the items as he had knowledge about current value of those items.
Sirajul Haque cross-examined Nikhil. Following are excerpts.
SH : How did you fix the price of the items ?
PW: On the basis of the current price and ! have experience In dealing with the items.
SH: Have you seen the crest ?
PW : 1 did not deal with the crest but 1 have seen crests in many shops at Elephant Road.
SH: What is done with the crest?
PW: (Pause) 1 don’t know.
SH: Did you visit the Sena Bhaban ?
, PW: Yes. Officials of the anli-corrupllon bureau look me there.
SH: Have you seen a golf cap ?
PW: 1 did not deal with golf caps.
SH: Do you know any other cap ?
PW: No.
SH: Do you use a cap ? Prince cap ?
PW: No. 1 don't
SH: Have you ever visited Berlin ?
PW: NO. I did not.
SH: Have you seen the Berlin stone ?
PW: Yes.
SI I: What is the size of the stone?
PW: 12 inches.
SH: No. The size of stone is one inch. You have never seen the Berlin stone.
PW: I know the price.
SH: How do you know the price when you nave not seen the stone ?
PW: All of us discussed to fix the price.
SH: You have fixed the price of a saree at Taka 50. Who would wear that saree ?
PW: 1 don't know.
SH: But you know that generally men do not wear sarees.
Attorney General : It is not relevant to the case.
SH: Yes It is relevant. Because Ershad did not wear the saree. It must have been used by either his wife or his maidservant.
The prosecution then produced one Joni who works in an electronics shop at the Stadium market.
He also helped the Bureau of Anti-Corruption during the fixation of prices of the electronic goods.
Sirajul Haque (SH): You have fixed the price of a camera at Taka 1500. What was the brand of the camera ?
PW: I can’t remember.
SH: How did you fix the prices of the items? Did you have any price list in front of you ?
PW: No.
SH: What is the price of an electric toothbrush?
PW: Taka 2000
SH: You don’t know the price of any article. You quoted all the prices Just on speculation.
PW: 1 have fixed the prices of the items I know.
Then the prosecution produced Wahidur Rahman a crockery merchant.
SH: What sort of crockery can be imported from abroad ?
PW: Import of foreign crockery is banned in the country .
SH: All the crockery found in the Sena Bhaban were foreign items.
PW: Yes.
SH: Do you know that Muslims do not calculate the price of the Quran Sharif ?
PW: Yes.
SH: But In one place in the list Taka 6000 was mentioned as the price of the Quran Sharif.
PW: Pause.
SH: How was the price of a canopy fixed at Taka 16,000 ?
PW: Thal was not canopy. It was bed cover.
Ershad (from the dock) That was a canopy.
SH: You have fixed the
prices Just on speculation.
• PW: Thal Is not true.
Then the prosecution wit ness Alar All a saree merchant was produced. He has a shop at Mouchak.
Sirajul Haque cross-examined him.
SH: Did you find any brassiere among the clothes ?
PW: No
SH: Did you find any briefs ?
PW: Yes.
SH: You also found three caps.
PW: Yes.
SH: You have fixed prices of the sarees at Taka 40,000.
PW: If I see the list I can tell about the fixation of price.
SH: What is the price of a petticoat ?
PW: Taka 60
SH: You haw fixed the price of a petticoat at Taka 500.
PW: Thal was silk petticoat.
SH: Price of an Atari cartridge has been fixed at Taka 200. What is an Atari cartridge
PW: I don’t know.
SH: You have fixed the prices of 25 vanity bags at Taka 300. But the prices of three towels have been fixed at Taka 450.
PW: Vanity bags were small.
SH: What is Chinese herbal medicine?
PW: It’s a medicine.
SH: The price of the medicine has been fixed at Taka 500.
PW: It was decided after discussion.
SH: Do you know YSL cosmetics.
PW. 1 don’t.
SH : How can the price of a sword be Taka 5000?
PW: I don’t know.
Ershad (from the dock ): Ask him whether he found any lung! ? •
SH: Did you find any lungi?
PW: No.
SH: Yqu have fixed all the prices of the Items to malign the countiy.
PW: This is not true.
Atar Ali was recalled by Attorney General Aminul Haque. Deposing in the Court he said that the price of the gold found in Sena Bhaban was determined just on speculation. Sirajul Haque asked him If there was any goldsmith present there. Atar All replied in the negative.
Till yesterday 42 witnesses were produced before the court.
After the hearing Judge Mohammad All Khan adjourned the Court till 10.30 am today.