A Dhaka court on Sunday framed charges against expelled Jubo Mahila League leader Shamima Noor Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman alias Sumon Chowdhury, in an arms case.
According to the court sources, the accused couple pleaded not guilty and demanded justice.
Earlier in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes read out the charges brought against them.
The court also set August 31 and September 1, 2 and 3 to record witness testimonies.
Chief Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu and Taposh Pal represented the state at the hearing while lawyers Abu Fateh Md Golam Fattah and Shakhawat Hossain appeared on behalf of the accused.
The investigation officer of the case and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB 1) Sub-Inspector (SI) Mohammad Arifuzzaman submitted the charge sheet before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court on June 29.
On February 22, elite force RAB arrested Papia and her husband along with two of her accomplices from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital Dhaka. They were trying to flee the country.
The crime busters also seized seven passports, two debit cards, 11,481 US dollars, Tk2.12 lakh, fake notes worth Tk25,600, and some currencies from Sri Lanka and India from their possession.
Later, RAB recovered a foreign pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor, Tk 58.41 lakh, and payment cards of various banks during a raid at Papia's apartment in Farmgate in the city.
Three cases were filed against them–two with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the Arms and Special Powers Act–while another was with the Biman Bandar Police Station under the Special Powers Act of 1974.
