The High Court has granted bail to Chumki Karan, wife of dismissed Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pradeep Kumar Das, who was convicted in an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case. The bench, comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain, issued the bail order on Sunday.
The ACC was represented by lawyer Asif Hasan, while senior lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun defended Chumki. The High Court had previously accepted Chumki's appeal on September 7, 2022.
The legal troubles for Pradeep and Chumki stem from multiple cases. On July 31, 2020, retired Army Major Md. Sinha was shot dead by police at the Baharchhara check post in Teknaf. In connection with this murder, Pradeep was sentenced to death on January 31, 2022, alongside another convict, while six others received life imprisonment.
Separately, the ACC filed a case against Pradeep and Chumki on August 23, 2020, accusing them of accumulating illegal assets worth Tk 3.95 crore, concealing information, and engaging in money laundering. The final charge sheet revised the allegations, citing undisclosed assets of Tk 49.58 lakh and unlawful acquisition of Tk 2.36 crore.
Chumki, initially on the run, surrendered on May 23, 2022, during the final stages of witness testimony. In July 2021, the ACC submitted its complaint, which was accepted by the court on September 1, 2021.
On January 25, 2022, Chittagong Divisional Special Judge Munshi Abdul Majid convicted Pradeep Kumar Das and his wife, Chumki Karan, on multiple charges. Under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, Chumki was sentenced to one year in prison and fined Tk 1 lakh, with an additional one-month imprisonment in case of default. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012, both were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined Tk 4 crore. Additionally, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, both received two years of imprisonment and a fine of Tk 10,000, with an extra two months of imprisonment for non-payment. All sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
Each sentence was ordered to run concurrently. In total, Chumki was sentenced to 21 years and Pradeep to 20 years in prison.
While appealing her conviction, Chumki applied for bail, which the High Court granted on Sunday. The decision marks a significant development in the high-profile corruption and criminal cases surrounding the former Teknaf OC and his wife.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
