JS polls: Selina Islam, Kazi Papul’s wife, fails to win back candidacy in appeal
Wife of Kazi Shahid Islam, a former MP convicted in Kuwait, Selina’s nomination was cancelled by the respective returning officer due to allegations of concealing information about a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission
Despite appealing to the Election Commission, Selina Islam, who wanted to run as an independent candidate for Lakshmipur-2 did not regain her candidacy for the 12th parliamentary election.
Wife of Kazi Shahid Islam, a former MP convicted in Kuwait, Selina's nomination was cancelled by the respective returning officer due to allegations of concealing information about a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The appeal hearings, which began at 10am today for the third day at the Election Building's auditorium in Agargaon, were conducted by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other commissioners, who heard the candidates' statements and delivered their verdicts.
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During the appeal on Tuesday, Selina Islam's lawyer stated they had failed to include case details in the affidavit but had brought them now.
The returning officer's representative argued that her case was with the ACC.
"She is on bail but did not disclose this information. She was given time to do so. She is a defendant in a high-profile case in Bangladesh," the person representing the returning office said.
When the commission inquired about the status of the case, Selina's lawyer said it was under investigation.
After this, the commission rejected the appeal.
On 27 December 2020, Selina Islam was granted bail along with her daughter Wafa Islam, in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge KM Imrul Kayes passed the order after the duo surrendered to it.
The same court has also ordered that all property belonging to Kazi Papul and his family members be confiscated, and their 670 bank accounts be frozen.
Of the bank accounts, the couple – Papul and Selina – own 617 accounts alone.
The court also asked the authorities concerned to seize 92 scheduled assets, including two flats owned by Papul.
According to the CID findings, Papul and his family members amassed more than Tk355 crore, and the money was transacted through 526 accounts and Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) of 13 different banks.
The CID also claimed to have concrete evidence of Tk38.22 crore laundered by Papul and said it was working to trace the flow of the rest of the money. It said it found only Tk1.30 crore in those accounts.
