Rana gets 3yrs in jail in ACC case

Staff Correspondent: A Dhaka Court on Tuesday sentenced Sohel Rana, owner of the Rana Plaza, to three years imprisonment in a case filed for not submitting his wealth statement to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court also fined him Tk 50,000, in default of which, he will have to suffer three months more in jail in the corruption case filed by the anti-graft watchdog on charge of accumulating wealth illegally on May 2, 2015.

Judge Imrul Kayes of the Special Judge Court-6 delivered the verdict in presence of Sohel.

ACC Deputy Director Mahbubur Rahman filed the corruption case against Rana with Ramna Police Station in the capital.

On April 2, 2015, the ACC sent a notice to Sohel Rana at Kashimpur jail in Gazipur asking him to submit his wealth statement to it within the stipulated time.

In response to the notice, his wife submitted an application to the ACC seeking time extension to submit the wealth report, but on May 18 it gave approval for the case against Rana rejecting the plea.

The ACC formed a two-member investigation body to know about the wealth of Rana after the Rana Plaza collapse on 24 April, 2013 that left 1,129 people killed and about 2,515 others injured.

According to the ACC probe report, he built two commercial buildings -- Rana Plaza and Rana Tower -- in Savar with money earned through illegal means.

He also has a five-storey residential building in Savar and huge movable and immovable wealth.

After investigation, ACC Deputy Director Mahbubur Rahman submitted charge sheet to the court against Rana on August 1, 2016. The court on March 23 in 2017 framed charges against him.

Rana was arrested after the collapse on April 29, 2013.

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 29, 2017/Mamun Khan/Amirul