Koko faces four more cases
Apart from the money laundering case, four other cases are pending with the lower courts against Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Of the cases, two are corruption cases, one extortion while another tax evasion case.
Koko and Ismail Hossain Saimon were yesterday jailed for six years each in connection with siphoning off over Tk 20 crore bribe money to Singapore. The court also fined each of the convicts Tk 38.83 crore.
GATCO GRAFT
The accused had been charged with breaching tender conditions in appointing Global Agro Trade (Private) Company Ltd (Gatco), an indenting house, for container handling at the Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) and the restricted area at Chittagong Port ICD yard despite its lack of experience and skills. ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station. In his case report alleged that Khaleda and Koko violated the conditions and influenced the tendering process. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) officials helped Gatco win the tender although a three-member tender evaluation committee of the port termed Gatco unfit for the work. After an investigation, the ACC pressed charges against Khaleda, Koko and 22 others. But later on July 15, 2008, a High Court order stayed the proceedings of the case, which is still ongoing. ILLEGAL WEALTH
The ACC on April 23, 2008 filed another case against Koko for concealing information about his wealth and amassing wealth through illegal means. In the case, the ACC accused Koko of concealing information about Tk 11.20 lakh worth of properties and illegally amassing wealth worth about Tk 2.23 crore--that is disproportionate to his known sources of income. Charge has been framed against Koko. But this case was also stayed on August 13, 2008 upon an order from the HC. EXTORTION
A proprietor of an advertising firm, Add Media Ltd, on May 16 of 2007 filed a case against Koko and two of his brothers-in-law for extorting Tk 1.20 crore from him. Koko's in-laws are Mustaqin Reza and Muktaqin Reza. Abu Ahmed Jayed Rabbi filed the case with Gulshan Police Station against them alleging that Koko along with the two came to his office at Gulshan-1 on April 27, 2004 and demanded Tk 1.20 crore as extortion. Later, the company paid the demanded money to Koko and two others on different dates. This case is also stayed following an HC order. TAX EVASION
National Board of Revenue (NBR) on March 1 last year filed a tax evasion case against Koko. In the complaint, Deputy Tax Commissioner of NBR Shahin Akhter Hossain said Koko evaded Tk 52.39 lakh of his income tax between 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 fiscal years. Koko repeatedly provided false information about his real income and expenditure, alleged the NBR statement. The case is now pending with the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka and its proceeding is going on.
The accused had been charged with breaching tender conditions in appointing Global Agro Trade (Private) Company Ltd (Gatco), an indenting house, for container handling at the Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) and the restricted area at Chittagong Port ICD yard despite its lack of experience and skills. ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station. In his case report alleged that Khaleda and Koko violated the conditions and influenced the tendering process. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) officials helped Gatco win the tender although a three-member tender evaluation committee of the port termed Gatco unfit for the work. After an investigation, the ACC pressed charges against Khaleda, Koko and 22 others. But later on July 15, 2008, a High Court order stayed the proceedings of the case, which is still ongoing. ILLEGAL WEALTH
The ACC on April 23, 2008 filed another case against Koko for concealing information about his wealth and amassing wealth through illegal means. In the case, the ACC accused Koko of concealing information about Tk 11.20 lakh worth of properties and illegally amassing wealth worth about Tk 2.23 crore--that is disproportionate to his known sources of income. Charge has been framed against Koko. But this case was also stayed on August 13, 2008 upon an order from the HC. EXTORTION
A proprietor of an advertising firm, Add Media Ltd, on May 16 of 2007 filed a case against Koko and two of his brothers-in-law for extorting Tk 1.20 crore from him. Koko's in-laws are Mustaqin Reza and Muktaqin Reza. Abu Ahmed Jayed Rabbi filed the case with Gulshan Police Station against them alleging that Koko along with the two came to his office at Gulshan-1 on April 27, 2004 and demanded Tk 1.20 crore as extortion. Later, the company paid the demanded money to Koko and two others on different dates. This case is also stayed following an HC order. TAX EVASION
National Board of Revenue (NBR) on March 1 last year filed a tax evasion case against Koko. In the complaint, Deputy Tax Commissioner of NBR Shahin Akhter Hossain said Koko evaded Tk 52.39 lakh of his income tax between 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 fiscal years. Koko repeatedly provided false information about his real income and expenditure, alleged the NBR statement. The case is now pending with the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka and its proceeding is going on.
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