A court has sentenced expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia to four years of rigorous imprisonment, a fine of Tk 5 lakh, and three months of non-compulsory imprisonment in default in a case under the Money Laundering Act. However, Papia's husband Mofizur Rahman alias Sumon Chowdhury, associates Sabbir Khandaker, Sheikh Taiba Nur and Zubair Alam were acquitted as the charges against them were not proven. Judge Md. Manjurul Hossain of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-8 delivered the verdict on Sunday.
Papiya has been granted bail in all cases by the High Court. He could not appear in court today due to illness. His lawyer Shakhawat Ullah Bhuiyan applied for time. However, the court rejected the time request and announced the verdict. Of the other four accused, Zubair has been absconding since the beginning. Three accused were present in court.
On February 22, 2020, RAB arrested four people, including Papia, on charges of carrying fake currency and smuggling illegal money from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Seven passports, 212,270 Bangladeshi taka, 25,600 fake taka, 310 Indian rupees, 420 Sri Lankan coins, 11,091 US dollars and seven mobile phones were recovered from them. On February 23, a foreign pistol, two magazines, 20 rounds of bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor, 58,41,000 taka, five passports, three checkbooks, several foreign currencies and 10 ATM cards of different banks were recovered from Papia's house on Indira Road.
In this incident, the ACC filed a drug and arms case against Papia and her husband at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, a money laundering case at Gulshan Police Station, a case under the Special Powers Act at Airport Police Station, and a case against her husband for acquiring illegal wealth. On December 27, 2021, CID Police Inspector Ibrahim Hossain filed a chargesheet accusing five people, including Papia, in the money laundering case. On August 21, 2022, the court framed charges against the five accused and started the trial. The court recorded the testimony of 27 people in the trial of the case.
Papia used to rent luxurious rooms in five-star hotels in Dhaka and engage in immoral activities. After that, Papia was expelled from the post of general secretary of Narsingdi District Jubo Mohila League.
