Bobby, Ruponti now get jail terms alongside Hasina and Tulip in Purbachal plot graft cases

Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to jail in two more cases over corruption involving plot allocations to her family. This time, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddique Bobby and niece Azmina Siddiq Ruponti have also received prison sentences.

The Awami League president was accused in one case involving the allocation of a plot of land to Bobby and in the other over a plot of land allocated to Ruponti. Bobby and Ruponti received seven years in prison in their cases, bdnews24.com.

Hasina was sentenced to five years in prison in each of the two cases for a total of 10 years, while Bobby and Ruponti’s sister and British MP Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to two years in jail in each of the two cases, for a total of four years.

Dhaka Special Judge Robiul Alam delivered the verdicts in the two cases on Monday.

Hasina was previously convicted in four other cases over corruption in Purbachal plot allocations. The cases alleged Hasina misused her power to help her family membes secure plots.

Tulip was convicted in a plot corruption case involving her mother Sheikh Rehana. She faces the allegation that she used her “special powers” to pressure and influence her aunt Hasina in securing the plots for her brother and sister.

In January last year, the ACC filed six cases accusing Hasina, Rehana, their children, and others of acquiring six 10-katha plots in RAJUK’s Purbachal New Town project through abuse of power.

On Jul 31, the court framed charges in the six cases against 23 people. Verdicts in three of the cases against Hasina and her family were announced on Nov 27, while the verdict in Rehana’s plot corruption case was delivered on Dec 1.

In these four cases, the court sentenced Hasina to a total of 26 years of rigorous imprisonment. her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul received five years each. Rehana was sentenced to seven years, and her daughter Tulip received two years.

The case against Rehana’s son Bobby and others concluded with the recording of witness testimonies on Jan 13. There are 18 other suspects in the case. Only one of them is currently in jail.

Testimonies in the case against Bobby’s younger sister Ruponti and others ended on Jan 5, with a total of 30 people testifying.