A Dhaka court on Monday framed charges against five people, including businessperson-turned-politician Helena Jahangir, in a fraud case filed with Pallabi police station in Dhaka.
The four other accused are Hazera Khatun, general manager of Helena Jahangir's IPTV "Joyjatra Television", Sanaullah Nuri, coordinator of the IPTV, Qamruzzaman Arif, chief news editor, and Mahfuzur Rahman, a staff reporter.
The five pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain read out the charges to them.
The court also set May 25 for starting the trial of the case.
Abdur Rahman Tuhin, Bhola district correspondent of Joyjatra Television, filed the case on August 2 last year.
On November 21 last year, police Inspector Shahinur Islam of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
According to the case statement, Helena took Tk54,000 from the complainant for appointing him as the Bhola district correspondent of Joyjatra Television. As a correspondent, Rahman worked for several months at the station but was not paid any salary. On the other hand, the television authorities took Tk3,000 per month from him.
Helena, a director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), is also facing charges in cases filed under the Digital Security Act, Narcotics Control Act, Wildlife Protection Act and Digital Security Act.
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Helena during a raid at her Gulshan residence in the capital on July 29 and took her to RAB Headqaurters for questioning.
Bottles of foreign liquor, deerskin, walky-talkies, foreign currencies and casino equipment were seized during the search, conducted based on some specific allegations against her, RAB said after the raid.
On July 25 last year, she lost membership of the Awami League subcommittee on women affairs for her involvement with Bangladesh Awami Chakrijibi League, an organization with no affiliation with the ruling party.
She was also removed from the advisor post of Comilla district unit Awami League.
