Court indicts ex-Jubo League leader Samrat, issues arrest warrant

A Dhaka court has indicted former Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo League president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat and his accomplice Enamul Hoque Arman in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act with the Ramna Police Station. It also scrapped their bail and issued arrest warrants against them.

Dhaka Seventh Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Saifur Rahman Majumdar issued the order on Thursday.

Additional Public Prosecutor Mahfuz Hasan said the hearing was set for Thursday, but Samrat and Arman’s lawyers appealed for further time saying they were sick. The court turned down their plea and indicted them. Their bails were revoked and the court issued arrest warrants against them.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Samrat and Arman from Cumilla's Chauddagram on Oct 6, 2019. Later the elite force raided Samrat's office in Kakrail and recovered a lot of foreign liquor, firearms and rare animal hides. A mobile court sentenced Samrat to six months in prison and he was taken there that night.

On Oct 7, RAB-1 DAD Abdul Khalek filed a case naming Samrat and Arman under the Arms Act and Narcotics Control Act with the Ramna Police Station. RAB-1 Sub Inspector Shekhar Chandra Mallick, the investigation officer of the arms case, submitted the charge sheet against Samrat on Nov 6, 2020. Arms case investigation officer RAB-1 SI Abdul Halim submitted the charge sheet against the suspects in the narcotics case on Dec 9 that same year.

On Jan 16, charges were framed in the arms case. Samrat was denied bail in that case too, and an arrest warrant was issued.