Arms CaseCasino kingpin Samrat sentenced to life in prison

A Dhaka court has sentenced Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, former president of the Jubo League’s Dhaka Metropolitan South unit and a casino kingpin, to life in prison in a case filed under the Arms Act.

Dhaka Special Tribunal-2 Judge Md Ibrahim Mia delivered the verdict on Tuesday.

As the accused remains absconding, the court has issued an arrest warrant against him, said Additional Public Prosecutor Billal Hossain of the tribunal.

Samrat was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on 6 October 2019 from Chauddagram in Cumilla. Later, a raid at his Kakrail office led to the recovery of a foreign pistol, a large quantity of foreign liquor, and skins of rare wild animals. A mobile court sentenced him to six months in jail for possessing the animal skins.

The following day, RAB-1 Deputy Assistant Director Abdul Khalek filed two cases with Ramna Police Station under the Narcotics Control Act and the Arms Act. After investigation, RAB-1 Sub-Inspector Shekhar Chandra Mallik submitted the charge sheet in the arms case to the court on 6 November 2020.

The trial began on 16 January this year after charges were framed against Samrat. As he was absent on that day, the court cancelled his bail and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Out of 14 witnesses, 10 testified before the court during the trial. After hearing arguments on 7 October, the court set 28 October for delivering the verdict.