Ex-OC Pradeep taken to Chattogram for graft case hearing

The suspended officer-in-charge of Teknaf, Pradeep Kumar Das, has been shifted to Chattogram Central Jail to produce him before the court in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The ACC case is scheduled for the hearing on Monday.

Pradeep was taken from the Cox's Bazar jail at around 9:30am Saturday, said Cox's Bazar jail superintendent Mokammel Hossain. Chattogram jail superintendent Kamal Hossain confirmed Pradeep reached there at around 1pm the same day.

ACC Assistant Director Riaz Uddin filed the graft case against Pradeep and his wife, Chumki Karon, at the ACC Integrated District Office-1 on August 23.

On August 26, an application was filed with the court of Chattogram Metropolitan Senior Special Sessions Judge Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman to show Pradeep arrested in the case.

According to the case statement, Pradeep and his wife allegedly acquired illegal assets worth around Tk4 crore through bribery and corruption, which he handed over to Chumki.

Chumki has also been accused of concealing assets worth over Tk13.13 lakh in the ACC statement.

In 2018, the ACC launched an investigation against Pradeep and Chumki. On April 9 next year, the anti-graft watchdog ordered the couple to submit the statement of their assets within seven working days.

Later on May 12, they submitted separate asset declarations at the ACC Integrated District Office-2.

Ex-OC Pradeep is the prime accused in the murder of retired Army major Sinha Md Rashed Khan in police custody at Shamlapur check-post on the Cox's Bazar Marine Drive on July 31 night.

Sinha's elder sister Sharmin Shahria Ferdous filed a murder case with a Cox's Bazar court on August 5, accusing nine people, including Pradeep and Baharchhara Investigation Centre's inspector Liakat.

Rapid Action Battalion is currently investigating the case. Pradeep was suspended from his job following his surrender to the court.

So far, 13 cases have been filed against Pradeep on charges of murder in the name of gunfights, torture of journalists, and corruption.