A Dhaka court is scheduled to announce verdicts today in three corruption cases related to the Purbachal plot scandal involving 23 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Special Judge’s Court-5 in Dhaka set the date after concluding the trials in 13 sessions on November 23. Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam mentioned that the trials progressed swiftly as 22 out of the 23 accused did not appear before the court.
The verdicts are anticipated to be delivered at 11:00 am, according to the Public Prosecutor. In one case, 28 individuals testified against 12 accused, including Hasina; in another case, 22 people provided testimony against 18 individuals, including Hasina and Putul; and in the third case, 27 witnesses testified against 17 people, including Hasina and Joy.
Apart from these cases, the Special Judge’s Court-4 in Dhaka is set to announce a verdict on December 1 in another corruption case involving 17 individuals, including Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and niece British MP Tulip Siddiq.
The prosecution mentioned that ongoing trials are happening at the same court for two additional corruption cases involving 21 people, including Hasina, her nieces Azmina Siddiq and Tulip, and nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby. Officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission allege that Tulip used her influence to secure plots for Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina in the three cases.
Records from the cases show that 53 individuals served as prosecution witnesses in six cases, including six ACC officials, four Rajuk employees, and seven officials from the housing and public works ministry.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed six cases between January 12 and 14 at its Dhaka Integrated District Office-1 concerning alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Purbachal New Town project. The ACC accused Hasina of unlawfully obtaining six plots in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project in collaboration with senior Rajuk officials, despite their ineligibility under existing regulations.
On March 25, the ACC filed six charge sheets at the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka, naming Hasina as a common accused in all six cases. Charges were framed against 29 individuals on July 31, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Bobby, Tulip, and Azmina.
The charges in the six cases include criminal misconduct under section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, along with other allegations such as criminal breach of trust and cheating under the Penal Code.
In addition to Hasina and her family members, the accused include former government officials, ex-ministers, and former Rajuk officials. Among the 29 accused, only Khurshid is currently in custody, as per the available documents.