Dhaka, Mar 25 (bdnews24.com) – TV actor-director Toukir Ahmed on Sunday filed a defamation suit against his sister at a Dhaka court over embezzlement and fraud charges.
The actor and his actress wife Bipasha Hayat filed the suit claiming that the embezzlement case filed on Mar 19 by Toukir's sister Tanjin Haider has no ground.
The first joint district judge's court of Mohsinul Haque has fixed Tuesday for hearing whether the case requires a trial.
The actor couple has been denying the embezzlement-fraud charges.
Before filing the case with the Dhaka District Judge Court on Sunday morning, the actor told reporters the charges brought by his sister were baseless and that is why he is going to file the defamation suit.
Toukir's lawyer barrister Omar Sadat told reporters that the actor couple have demanded Tk 500 million in compensation for the alleged defamation by Tanjin.
Lawyer Samiul Karim apprehended that the case might not be admitted as the couple already have a defamation suit pending against them at another court.
"In such cases, usually counter-defamation suits are not allowed until the previous one is disposed of," said Karim.
After Tanjin filed the case, a Dhaka court asked Toukir and Bipasha to appear before it on April 4.
Tanjin has claimed that she and her husband gave Toukir a total Tk 1.5 million in cash and USD 177,422 through bank to construct and run the 'Nakkhtrabari Resort and Convention Centre' over a 25-bigha land at Rajendrapur, Gazipur.
She accused Toukir and Bipasha of 'deceitfully' buying land and building the resort in their names.
According to case details, Tanjin had served a legal notice on Toukir and Bipasha in January this year but the couple did not settle the matter.
On Sunday, Toukir said that he had fully repaid the money he took from his sister and that the current investment at the Nakkhtrabari Resort is from his own capital and bank loans he has taken.
Toukir was awarded the National Film Award in 2004 for his movie 'Jayjatra', a story based on the Liberation War of 1971.
Bipasha is the daughter of another popular Bangladeshi actor Abul Hayat. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in Aaguner Parashmoni, directed by Humayun Ahmed.
Toukir also directed Daruchini Dwip that won national awards in seven categories in 2007.
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