In a landmark ruling, a Dhaka court has handed down life imprisonment to Hallmark Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud and his wife Jasmine Islam, the company’s chairman, in connection with one of the 11 cases linked to Sonali Bank’s loan corruption scandal amounting to approximately Tk4,000 crore.
The verdict was announced by Judge Md Abul Kashem of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court 1 on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the high-profile corruption case.
Apart from Tanvir and Jasmine, the accused in custody in the case include Hallmark General Manager Tushar Ahmed, former GM of Sonali Bank Head Office Mir Mohidur Rahman, Deputy General Manager (DGM) Md Safiuddin Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Mainul Haque, AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan, and Md Abdul Malek of Nakshi Knit.
Meanwhile, several other accused, including Paragon Group MD Saiful Islam Raja, Sonali Bank Head Office GM Nani Gopal Nath, former managing director of Sonali Bank Head Office Humayun Kabir, and Assistant Deputy General Manager Md Saiful Hasan, remain at large.
The court proceedings witnessed a series of delays and hearings, with the verdict initially scheduled for February 28 but postponed for further testimonies. Finally, after extensive arguments and testimonies, the verdict was delivered on March 19.
The case revolves around the embezzlement of Tk10.5 crore with a loan of approximately Tk526 crore under the guise of the non-existent Max Spinning Mills. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on October 4, 2012, leading to a protracted legal battle that has culminated in this verdict.
The Metropolitan Sessions Court of Dhaka framed charges against the defendants on March 27, 2016, initiating a rigorous legal process that has spanned several years.
Despite challenges and delays, the court accepted the testimonies of 57 out of 81 witnesses presented in the charge sheet, underscoring the substantial evidence against the accused in this sprawling corruption scandal.
