A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against four people, including Jamuna Group chairman and his wife, in a case filed for illegally producing and marketing alcohol.
Those who were indicted are Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul, his wife Salma Islam, the couple’s son Shamim Islam and Hunter and Crown Beer’s General Manager Md Shuruj Rahman Sheikh.
Salma Islam is present lawmaker of Jatiya Party.
Judge Abdur Rahman Shordar of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 framed the charges against the four accused after rejecting their discharge petitions in the case.
After the charge framing, the court fixed January 19 for recording deposition of prosecution witnesses.
Nurul Islam Babul, Salma Islam and Shamim Islam, now on bail, appeared before the court. They pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the court read out the charges to them.
Babul and his wife Salma Islam also submitted two petitions before the court seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court. Although the court granted Salma’s petition but rejected her husband’s plea.
The tribunal also issued warrant for the arrest of another accused Shuruj Rahman as he did not appear before the court.
According to the case, on March 8, 2004, Narcotic Control Department Inspector Md Azadul Islam Salam filed the case with Kaliakoir police station in Gazipur against the accused under Narcotic Control Act 1990 for illegally producing and marketing alcohol.
Later, the investigation officer of the case submitted a charge sheet to Gazipur court against the four accused on March 31 of the same year. Later, the case was shifted to the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal for quick trial.
Following a writ petition by the accused the case has been pending for quit a long time, but the trial process again resumed on November 17, 2015 after the higher court rejected the petition of the accused.
According to the charge sheet, Jamuna Group owned M/S Crown Beverage factory located at Sofipur in Kaliakoir of Gazipur illegally produced and marketed two products – Hunter and Crown – which were mainly alcohol.
They had also published advertisement on different newspapers reportedly about their products.
The authorities concerned sought explanation from them but the accused failed to submit their replies on time.