Dhaka: A Dhaka court Tuesday framed charge against Jahanara Begum, former Primary and Mass Education Adviser to then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, in a graft case that stemmed from the massive anti-graft drive conducted under the past interim regime.

After the indictment, judge Nasir Uddin Mahmud of the Special Judge’s Court-5 fixed August 17, 18 and 19 for hearings on the case of allegedly amassing wealth illegally and “concealing information” in the wealth statement.  

Jahanara Begum, standing in the dock during the day’s hearing, however, pleaded to be innocent.

According to the case statement, the former adviser submitted her wealth statement of about Tk 2 crore to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). “After investigation, the ACC unearthed more wealth worth Tk 1.93 crore.”

Later, ACC Deputy Director Mahbubul Alam filed a case with Ramna Thana against Jahanara Begum on charge of accumulating wealth illegally and concealing information thereof in the wealth statement.

The senior special judge court sent Jahanara Begum to jail upon her surrendered on February 1 this year in the graft case. But the same court granted her bail on February 7.

MI/MMK/MS/LY/MUA
BDST: 01:25 Hrs, May 25, 2010.