Investigating officer testifies in Tk25cr embezzlement case against Saifuzzaman Chowdhury
Defence cross-examination set for 25 October.
The investigating officer (IO) has testified in the case against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others over the alleged embezzlement and laundering of Tk25 crore.
The IO gave evidence before the court today (4 October), bringing the number of witnesses who have testified in the case to 56.
The court fixed 25 October for the next hearing for cross-examination of the IO by the defence, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mokarram Hossain told The Business Standard.
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According to the case documents and ACC information, Tk25 crore was allegedly obtained as a loan from United Commercial Bank (UCB) in the name of Vision Trading in violation of the bank's lending policies and rules.
The ACC alleged that the loan was secured between October 2019 and February 2020 using forged and fabricated documents.
The commission's investigation further found that the loan proceeds were allegedly transferred abroad through hundi, an informal money transfer system.
On 11 March, the court formally framed charges against Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others, paving the way for the trial to begin.
A total of 92 witnesses have been listed in the case, of whom 55 had testified before the IO appeared in court today.
The case will now proceed with the defence cross-examination of the investigating officer.
