Ctg Outer Link Road: Land ministry official jailed over embezzlement

A Chattogram court has sent a former land ministry official to jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on charges of misappropriating land acquisition money in the Chittagong Outer Link Road project by arranging false ownership.

Judge Munsi Abdul Majid of the Chittagong Divisional Special Judge Court passed the order Monday after rejecting Shahadat Hossain's bail petition in the case.

Shahadat Hossain is a former land acquisition officer of Chittagong District Administration, presently working as deputy director (administration and finance) of Guchchagram-2 of the Land Ministry.

"The accused Shahadat Hossain surrendered and applied for bail in the corruption case. After the hearing, the court sent him to jail. The case is awaiting a trial," ACC lawyer Mahmudul Haque told The Business Standard.

Earlier on 3 January 2019, the ACC filed a case against 15 people, including former land acquisition officers, surveyors, and officials of the Chittagong District Administration, on charges of misappropriating Tk1.13 crore for land acquisition under false ownership in the Chittagong Outer Link Road project.

After the investigation, the ACC recommended the acquittal of the accused on 31 July 2022. But the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions judge did not accept the final report given by ACC and took cognizance of the crime against the accused. 

On February 2 this year, the court issued an arrest warrant against the accused. After that, the accused Shahadat surrendered to court on Sunday and applied for bail.