A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced Mohammad Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, the controversial Dubai-based gold dealer, to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in an arms case filed in January 2015, reports UNB.
Judge Murshid Ahmed of Dhaka Metro Special Tribunal-14 delivered the verdict, in absence of Arav Khan.
In addition to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, Arav Khan was sentenced to a fine of Tk 10,000, in default of which he will have to serve another three months' imprisonment.
Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) AKM Salahuddin confirmed the development.
Earlier, on March 28, the court heard the testimonies of 10, out of 20, witnesses. Arav Khan could not claim his innocence as he was absconding.
According to the prosecution, Arav Khan was arrested in January 2015, with a loaded revolver from Dhaka's Moghbazar area as he went to his father-in-law Sekendar Ali’s house to collect money at gunpoint.
On the same day, Sujan Kumar Kundu, the then Sub-inspector of DB West's Car Theft Prevention and Rescue Team, filed a case against Arav Khan with Ramna Model Police Station under arms act.
DB Police Sub-inspector Sheikh Hasan Mohammad Mostafa Sarwar, also the investigating officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Arav Khan to the court on March 1, 2015. The tribunal framed charges against him on May 10.
He was granted bail in the case on March 14, 2018. The court issued an arrest warrant against Arav Khan on October 24, 2018 declaring him as "fugitive".
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
