Indictment hearing against Tulip Siddiq deferred to 1 September 

A Dhaka court has deferred until 1 September the hearing on framing charges against Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, daughter of Sheikh Rehana, and former Rajuk assistant law adviser Sardar Mosharraf Hossain in a case over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of a flat in Gulshan 2.

The order was passed today (28 June) by Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 following a hearing, ACC counsel Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed. 

He said the hearing on charge framing had been scheduled for today, but the defence for Sardar Mosharraf Hossain, who is currently on bail, sought additional time, prompting the court to defer the proceedings and fix 1 September as the next hearing date.

Previously, on 8 April, the case was transferred from the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court to the Special Judge's Court-5 after it was deemed ready for trial.

On 18 February, the court took cognisance of the charges against Tulip and Mosharraf and issued arrest warrants for them.

The ACC filed the case on 15 April last year against Tulip, former Rajuk assistant law adviser Shah Md Khasruzzaman and Mosharraf, alleging that they had illegally obtained a flat owned by Eastern Housing Limited in Gulshan through abuse of power.

According to the case statement, the accused, acting in collusion, took possession of and later registered the Gulshan 2 flat, without making any payment to Eastern Housing Limited.

Following the filing of the case, Khasruzzaman filed a writ petition in the High Court in July last year, seeking to halt the investigation against him. 

The High Court stayed the investigation for three months. Although the ACC later appealed to the chamber court, it received a "no order" ruling.

After completing the investigation on 11 December, the ACC submitted the charge sheet against Tulip and Mosharraf under various sections of the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.