& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Tk21cr Bribery Case

Charges framed against Tarique, Babar

Staff Correspondent
A special court yesterday framed charges against former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and six others in a case filed for Tk 21 crore bribery over Sabbir murder.
Judge Shalled Noor Uddin of the Special Court-3 also fixed July 24 for deposition of the witnesses to begin.
Tarique, now detained senior joint secretary general of BNP, was not produced before the court as he has been exempted from personal appearance on medical grounds.
This is the first time that charges have been framed against him who
used to have enormous clout during the BNP-led alliance rule in 2001-2006.
Of the accused, Babar and Abu Sufian, director of a Bashundhara Group concern, were in the dock while Tarique was represented by his lawyer Sanaullah Mia. The rest are on the run.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on October 4 last year, accusing six of bribery to cover up the murder of Bashundhara Group executive Humayun Kabir Sabbir whose body was found outside a building in Bashundhara residential area on July 5.2006.
The six are Babar, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar
Sobhan alias Shah Alam, his two sons Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir and Sadaat Sobhan, Abu Sufian and Mia Nur Uddin Apu.
Tarique and former BNP lawmaker Qazi Saleemul Huq Kamal were included in the charge sheet after investigation found their involvement in the crime.
At the beginning of yesterday's proceedings, the judge rejected the discharge petition filed forTarique, Babar and Sufian, and said there is enough primary evidence to frame charges against the accused.
After that, Tarique's counsel barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia submitted a petition for adjournment. He argued that since a writ petition for dismissal of the case is pending at the High Court, charges should not be framed now.
Opposing the defence prayer, the prosecution said the HC did not give any order against charge framing.
On hearing both the sides, the court asked the prosecution to read out the charges to the accused.
Detailing the charges, prosecution lawyer Syed Shamim said the accused had a meeting at Shah Alam's Bailey Road residence. There, the Bashundhara boss made a bargain with Babar and Tarique that he would give them Tk 50 crore so his son Sanvir did not have to face murder charges.
On August 20, 2006, Babar received Tk 21 crore and sent Abu Sufian to Hawa Bhaban to give TariqucTk 1 crore from the amount. Sufian handed over the money to Tarique's personal secretary Apu.
This is how Shah Alam attempted to hush up (he murder and his sons managed to flee the country with assistance from Tarique and Babar.
Both Babar and Abu Sufian pleaded innocent when die prosecution asked if they are guilty or not. Tarique's lawyer Sanaullah said his client too is innocent.
After (he hearing, the.court announced the date for witness testimony.