Plot scam: Arrest warrant against Hasina, Rehana, Tulip, Bobby

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against 53 individuals including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana’s daughter Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and another daughter Azmira Siddiq in three separate cases filed over allegations of corruption in RAJUK’s plot allotment.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order on Sunday (April 13) after taking cognizance of the charges, as all the accused remained absconding.

Aminul Islam, Assistant Director of the ACC’s prosecution division, said, “The court set April 27 for submitting probe reports in the cases.”

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director Salahuddin filed a case against Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Radwan Mujib and 12 others for taking a 10-katha plot in the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Purbachal through misuse of power and forgery.

Investigation officer Afnan Jannat Keya filed the charge sheet in the case on March 10, adding the names of two other accused.

ACC assistant director Afnan Jannat Keya, on January 13, filed another case against Azmina Siddiq for taking a 10-katha plot in the RAJUK project through misuse of power and forgery. A total of 16 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Tulip, were implicated in the case. The charge sheet in the case on March 10, adding the names of two other accused.

Assistant director SM Rashedul Hasan of the ACC on January 13 filed a case against Sheikh Rehana’s son, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and 15 others over the same allegation as his mother and sisters. The ACC official on March 10 filed the charge sheet against 18.

The anti-graft body officials in the charge sheets alleged that Sheikh Rehana, her daughter Azmina and son Radwan like Saima Wazed Putul, with malicious intent, illegally influenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and filed an application to her rather than to RAJUK, violating the laws, rules, policies and legal procedures regarding the allocation of plots in the Purbachal New City Housing Project.

They had done that even though they and their family members owned a house or flat, or a housing facility in the area under the jurisdiction of RAJUK in Dhaka city.

Earlier on Thursday, the same court issued arrest warrants against former PM Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 others in a separate case.