Sister accuses Transcom CEO Simeen, her son Ayaat of murdering their brother Arshad

A dispute over the ownership of the company founded by late Latifur Rahman takes an even uglier turn

Shahzreh Huq, younger daughter of Transcom Group founder Latifur Rahman, has launched a police case accusing her sister and group CEO Simeen Rahman of killing their brother Arshad Waliur Rahman.

The dispute over the ownership of the company - disfigured by accusations of embezzlement and fraud hurled by Shahzreh against Simeen - burst into public view last month, more than three years following the death of Latifur, a businessman who boasted his ethical principles.

This time the dispute has taken an even uglier turn as she also brought murder charges against Simeen and her son Zaraif Ayaat Hossain, the head of the company’s strategy and transformation.

Shahzreh started the latest case against a total of 11 people on Thursday night.

Gulshan Police Station chief Mazharul Islam said on Saturday that they started investigating the case, but no made no arrests.

“We came to know that some of the accused are abroad,” he said.

The others named in the case are Murad Hossain, 50, senior executive of medical affairs at Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Limited, its Executive Director of Marketing and Sales Mohammad Mujahidul Islam, 55, Transcom’s Executive Director of Corporate Affairs Fokhruzzaman Bhuiyan, 60, Chief Financial Officer Kamrul Hassan, 61, executives of corporate affairs Selina Sultana, 45, and KH Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, 50, Arshad’s chef Rafique, 55, chauffeur Mirazul, and Md Zahid Hossain, 55. Zahid’s details were not given in the case.

Shahzreh brought charges under sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code in the case that deal with murder and committing crime in a group.  

She alleged that behaviours of Simeen and the others behaviour indicate they colluded to poison or strangle Arshad to deprive other heirs of Latifur in a planned manner.

Arshad, son of Latifur, died in June 2023.
 

WHAT SHAHZREH SAYS IN THE LATEST CASE

Shahzreh said in the case that Arshad, Simeen and she were the heirs to Latifur’s assets in line with the law, but Simeen and Ayaat deprived her and Arshad of the assets, including Transcom shares, by forging documents.

Upon consultation with Arshad, she decided to take legal steps and Arshad, a childless divorcee, gave Shahzreh his power of attorney on Jun 8, 2023.

Arshad had told people close to him that his life was in danger because Simeen was angry with him for giving Shahzreh his power of attorney.

Shahzreh visited his home in Gulshan on Jun 16 after their longtime house help Moslem Howlader informed her about Arshad’s illness.

When she reached there, she saw her brother lying dead on his bed. Simeen, Ayaat and the other accused had already been there.

Shahzreh said Arshad did not have any life-threatening disease and she could not communicate with him for four days before his death.

She said Simeen asked others to take Arshad’s death certificate and complete his burial quickly.

When the body was taken to the United Hospital, the doctor asked why they were late since the patient had died a long time ago, according to the case dossier.

After the doctor asked if Arshad had any complications, Murad identified himself as the personal physician of Arshad and said no police report was required.

Shahzreh’s husband Arshad Huq received the body after the hospital refused to transfer it to Murad and others, who were not family members, said Shahzreh.

Murad and others, however, took away the death certificate, but Shahzreh’s husband took a photo of the certificate, according to which, her brother Arshad died of “unknown” reasons.

She alleged Arshad was buried hastily on the grave of Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, who was raped and murdered at their home in 1998, although there were four empty graves at Banani Graveyard.

She said a close friend of Arshad asked if a post-mortem examination was necessary to find out the actual cause of death, but Simeen remained silent at that time.

After Arshad’s death, Simeen, Ayaat and others took control of his house, car and other properties, Shahzreh alleged.

PREVIOUS CASES

In the first three cases in February, Shahzreh brought charges of embezzlement of funds, unlawful possession of property, and illegal transfer of shares against Simeen.

Their mother Shahnaz Rahman, who became chairman after Latifur’s death, is also accused in two of the cases while Ayaat is accused in one.

Five top officials of the company secured bail in the cases a day after their arrest.

They are Executive Director of Corporate Affairs Fokhruzzaman Bhuiyan, Chief Financial Officer Kamrul Hassan, Director of Corporate Finance Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Company Secretary Mohammed Mossadeq and Manager (company secretary) Abu Yusuf Md Siddik.

The charges include criminal breach of trust, forgery, fraud, and passing copies of valuable deposits as originals.

Shahzreh alleged Shahnaz and Simeen colluded to deprive other heirs of Latifur’s assets.

In one of the cases, Shahzreh said mother Shahnaz was the nominee of around Tk 1 billion in bank accounts and FDRs of Latifur.

Shahzreh alleged in another case that Simeen forged three transfer documents with the help of four officials of Transcom.

Simeen is accused of taking ownership of majority shares “illegally” by submitting those documents to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms.

Shahzreh claims she had been informed that her father transferred 4,270 to her, another 4,270 to her late brother Arshad Waliur Rahman, and 14,160 to Simeen, but Shahzreh did not sign the transfer document.

She also claims Latifur had never signed any transfer document, which means the accused
 forged the documents.

In the third case, Shahzreh alleged Simeen and Shahnaz prepared a deed of settlement by forging Shahzreh and Arshad’s signatures.

By using the deed, Simeen became CEO and Shahnaz chairman of the company, according to Shahzreh.

She claims she has never signed any deed of settlement with a family member.