A Chittagong court on Thursday suspended recording the testimony of ex-OC Pradeep Kumar Das, a death-row convict in Major (retd) Rashed Khan Sinha murder case, in a case filed for illegally acquiring wealth worth Tk4 crore.
Chittagong Divisional Special Court Judge Munshi Abdul Mazid passed the order during a hearing on a petition submitted by Pradeep’s lawyer.
However, the court would record the testimony of Pradeep’s wife Chumki.
Earlier in the day, the court recorded the statements of Mohammad Riaz Uddin, plaintiff of the case and an assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Pradeep was taken to the Chittagong court around 11:30am on Thursday from Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur amid strict security. After the court proceedings, he spoke to the media while being taken to the prison van: "I fought a war against yaba... but I have been punished even without committing a crime."
His counsel appealed to court for time mentioning that a petition seeking cancellation of the indictment order in the graft case remained pending with the High Court.
The petition was submitted to the High Court on January 30.
Pradeep and his wife were indicted in the case on December 15 last year.
The anti-graft body filed the case on August 23, 2020 against Pradeep and his wife for amassing wealth worth Tk4 crore.
ACC sources said the investigation started in 2018.
