The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

A special court that deals with high-profile corruption cases yesterday jailed former BNP Minister Shajahan Siraj for 13 years in a graft case.

The court also sentenced his wife Rabeya Siraj to three years imprisonment as co-accused.

Both were tried in absentia, as the entire Siraj family has been hiding since the current purge against corruption in high places was launched in the interim period following the 1/11 changeover.

Delivering the judgement, the special court in the high-security parliament complex also ordered the government to confiscate Siraj's property worth Tk 3.78 crore.

The court found Siraj, one of the stalwart student leaders of the 60s, guilty on two counts. He was sentenced to ten years for amassing wealth illegally while three years for hiding wealth information in his wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

His wife was found guilty of aiding and abetting her husband in protecting the ill-gotten money.