The New Nation - Internet Edition

A court yesterday sentenced detained former communications minister Nazmul Huda to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment in connection with an extortion case.

Judge Md Abu Muhsin of the Fifth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court also fined him Tk 50 thousand. If the former minister fails to pay the amount, he will have to serve six months more in jail.

The court also acquitted Huda’s wife advocate Sigma Huda of the extortion charges as prosecution failed to prove her involvement in the case.

On July 29 last year, former BNP lawmaker of Bogra and transport businessman GM Siraj filed the extortion case against the couple with Dhanmondi Police Station, complaining that they had demanded two Maruti cars from him for the use of weekly Khaborer Antorale, published by Sigma Huda.

He also said the accused later intimidated him into providing them with a car worth Tk 3.95 crore.

“Threatening me Nazmul Huda said that he would destroy my businesses and political career by publishing series of reports in his weekly against me unless I provide him two motor cars as extortion,” GM Siraj mentioned in his case.

In his verdict, the judge said Huda was awarded seven years’ imprisonment for demanding extortion and five years for taking extortion. Both the imprisonments will go on simultaneously. Because of this Huda will have to suffer imprisonment for seven years. The imprisonment will be effective from the date of showing Huda as arrested.

Just after pronouncement of the verdict, Advocate Sigma Huda thanked the judge and tried to tell him (judge) something. In reply, the judge said, “Nothing has happened for giving me thanks. Whatever has happened, it has happened according to the will of Allah.”

At that time, Sigma Huda said, “I want to tell something. It was right that you have acquitted me. So, you deserve thanks. But, my husband did not take any money or car as extortion.”

In response, the judge said he had nothing to do as the verdict was already pronounced.

When the judge was about to leave the courtroom, Huda told him, “The will of Allah has been implemented. He knows what is right and what is wrong.”

Additional Public Prosecutor Abul Kashem conducted the case on behalf of the state.

The joint forces arrested Nazmul Huda on February 3 last year. Later on July 3, Sigma Huda surrendered to a special judge court at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Meanwhile, Advocate Sigma Huda is likely to get release soon as she has already been acquitted from the Khabarer Antorale extortion case and received bails in other cases.

Sigma Huda yesterday exptressed the hope that she would be freed at any time. “I hope that I will be released today,” she said.