Charges framed against former OC Pradeep, wife in graft case

A Chattogram court has framed charges against former Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das and his wife in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for illegally amassing wealth.

Chattogram District and Sessions Judge Munshi Mohammad Abdul Majid passed the order on Wednesday with Pradeep in court. However, Chumki Karon, wife of the disgraced police official, is still on the run.

Speaking to The Business Standard (TBS), ACC lawyer Mahmudul Haque Mahmud said, "The charge framing was delayed twice earlier. The court today (Wednesday) took cognizance of the charge sheet filed by us and framed charges against the two accused."

According to court sources, the ACC filed a charge sheet against OC Pradeep and his wife on 26 July where the ACC accused OC Pradeep and Chumki of concealing assets worth Tk49,58,957. The charge sheet also mentioned illegally acquiring assets worth Tk2,35,98,417. 

Later, on 1 September, the hearing of the charge sheet took place with Pradeep in court. 

Last year on 31 July, Major (retd) Sinha Rashed Khan was shot dead by police at the Baharchhara check-post in Teknaf. On 5 August, his sister Sharmin Shahria Ferdous filed a case for his murder with the Cox's Bazar Judicial Magistrate's Court, against Pradeep and nine others. OC Pradeep is currently in prison in connection with the case.