Casino Samrat Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

Former Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat has been sentenced to life imprisonment in an arms case.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday by Judge Md Ibrahim Mia of Dhaka Special Tribunal-2.

As the accused remains absconding, an arrest warrant has been issued for him.

The information was confirmed by Additional Public Prosecutor Billal Hossain of the concerned tribunal.

On October 6, 2019, Samrat was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Chauddagram in Comilla. Later, RAB conducted a raid at his office in Kakrail, where a large quantity of foreign liquor, a pistol, and the skins of rare wild animals were recovered.

A mobile court subsequently sentenced him to six months in jail for possession of wildlife skins. The next day, RAB-1 Deputy Assistant Director Abdul Khalek filed two cases under the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, the Arms Act with Ramna police station.

Following the investigation, RAB-1 Sub-Inspector Shekhar Chandra Mallik submitted the charge sheet in the arms case to the court on November 6, 2020.

The trial began on January 16 this year after charges were framed against Samrat. On that day, his bail was revoked and an arrest warrant was issued as he failed to appear before the court.

During the trial, the court recorded testimonies from 10 of the 14 witnesses. After hearing closing arguments on October 7, the court set October 28 for delivering the verdict.