Trial begins against Evaly’s Rassel-Shamima, arrest warrants issued

A Dhaka court framed charges against Mohammad Rassel, the managing director (MD) of the controversial e-commerce platform Evaly, and his wife Shamima Nasrin, chairman of the e-commerce platform, in a cheque bounce case.

As a result, trial in the case began formally.

The court also issued arrest warrants against the couple as they failed to appear before it today.

Dhaka’s 6th Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge Humayun Kabir passed the order on Thursday (March 28).

Md Mia Hossain, lawyer for Tofazzal Hossain, confirmed the matter. Tofazzal Hossain filed the case with the court in 2022.

According to the case statement, it was alleged that Tofazzal Hossain, a customer of Evaly, on February 26 of 2021 paid Tk 1.49 lakh to the company for buying a motorbike after seeing an advertisement. But the company failed to supply the motorcycle within the stipulated 45 days.

On June 28 that year, Evaly gave a cheque of Tk 2.5 lakh to the customer but it was dishonoured as there was not sufficient funds in the account with City Bank.

The customer then sent a legal notice through his lawyer asking the couple to return the money they took for supplying a motorbike.

But the couple failed to return the money in time and the customer filed a case with the court in 2022.

Rassel was released from Kashimpur prison on bail on December 19 last year while Nasrin was freed from jail on April 6, 2022.

Rassel and Nasrin were arrested by Rab on September 16, 2021, during a raid at their Mohammadpur home after a customer filed an embezzlement case against them with Gulshan Police Station.

Later, five other embezzlement cases were lodged against the couple with Dhanmondi Police Station and the court.