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The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Tulip Siddiq brands corruption trial in Bangladesh a ‘farce' as case opens
A former Government minister has labelled a trial into her alleged corruption a 'farce' as it got under way in Bangladesh. Tulip Siddiq, who resigned in January as Treasury minister, said the case being heard in Dhaka was 'built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta'. Ms Siddiq is the niece of the former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheika Hasina, who fled the country in August last year after ruling for 15 years. Ms Hasina had previously held the post for five years and she is the daughter of Bangladesh's founding president. She was ousted amid student-led protests that were met with violence by government forces, which saw nearly 300 people killed. She is now exiled in India. In April, it was reported that Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission had sought an arrest warrant for Ms Siddiq over allegations the MP for Hampstead and Highgate illegally received a 7,200sq ft plot of land in the country's capital. Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials gave evidence in court on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. Ms Siddiq has claimed she has not had any official communication about the trial. In a post on X on Wednesday as the case got under way, Ms Siddiq said: 'The so-called trial now under way in Dhaka is nothing more than a farce – built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta. 'Over the past year, the allegations against me have repeatedly shifted, yet I have never been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities once. 'I have never received a court summons, no official communication, and no evidence. 'If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with me or my legal team, responded to our formal correspondence, and presented the evidence they claim to hold. 'Instead, they have peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators. 'Even my offer to meet Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during his recent visit to London was refused. Such conduct is wholly incompatible with the principles of a fair trial that we uphold in the UK. 'I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging.' The MP had resigned in January after six months in Government after an investigation by the Prime Minister's ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus into her links to Ms Hasina's regime. She came under scrutiny over her use of properties in London linked to her aunt's allies. She stepped down and said she had become 'a distraction' from Labour's agenda. Campaigners from her aunt's party, the Awami League, had campaigned and canvassed for her during previous general elections. In an interview with the Guardian before the trial began, Ms Siddiq said she had been 'collateral damage' in the long-standing feud between Mr Yunus and Ms Hasina. She said: 'These are wider forces that I'm battling against… There's no doubt people have done wrong things in Bangladesh, and they should be punished for it. It's just I'm not one of them.' After an outcry over the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of people demonstrating against what they said was an increasingly autocratic and cruel administration, Ms Hasina and Siddiq's mother, Sheikh Rehana, who was in the country at the time, fled the Bangladeshi capital in a military helicopter to India. It was, Ms Siddiq admits, a scary time. Ms Hasina's entire family, apart from her husband, children and sister, were murdered during the August 15 1975 Bangladeshi coup d'etat in which Ms Siddiq's grandfather, the first president of Bangladesh, was assassinated.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Tulip Siddiq brands Bangladesh trial a ‘farce'
Tulip Siddiq says her corruption trial in Bangladesh is a 'farce' driven by a 'political vendetta'. The former City minister, who is being tried in her absence, accused authorities in Dhaka of 'peddling false and vexatious allegations' and said the case was ' built on fabricated accusations ' Ms Siddiq, along with her mother Sheikh Rehana and sister Azmina Siddique, and brother Radwan Mujib Siddique, known as Bobby, are facing multiple corruption charges in relation to the allocation of plots in one of the largest housing projects in the country. The Labour MP is the niece of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's authoritarian former prime minister, who fled the country after she was ousted last year following a violent crackdown on student protesters. As the trial began on Wednesday, Ms Siddiq launched a fresh attack on the Bangladesh government headed by interim leader Prof Muhammad Yunus, and the legal proceedings, saying she had not even received a court summons. 'False and vexatious' allegations 'The so-called trial now under way in Dhaka is nothing more than a farce – built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta,' she posted on X. 'Over the past year, the allegations against me have repeatedly shifted, yet I have never been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities once. 'I have never received a court summons, no official communication, and no evidence. If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with me or my legal team, responded to our formal correspondence, and presented the evidence they claim to hold. 'Instead, they have peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators.' Ms Siddiq, 42, said that Prof Yunus had refused her offer to meet when he recently visited London and claimed he was smearing her name to 'score political points'. 'Even my offer to meet … Muhammad Yunus during his recent visit to London was refused,' she wrote. 'Such conduct is wholly incompatible with the principles of a fair trial that we uphold in the UK. 'I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging.' On the first day of the trial, it was claimed Ms Siddiq 'exerted pressure and influence' on Sheikh Hasina to illegally hand land to her mother and siblings. Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleges Sheikh Hasina, in collusion with senior officials, unlawfully obtained six plots of 7,200sq ft each in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project for herself and her family. Muhammad Salahuddin, the ACC deputy director, who heads the investigation, recorded his statement before Judge Muhammad Rabiul Alam, of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4, saying the former prime minister concealed ownership of housing facilities in Dhaka in violation of existing laws. The ACC has filed six separate cases with Hasina accused in each, while Ms. Siddiq has been named as an abettor in three corruption cases also involving her mother and two siblings. Ms. Siddiq 'manipulated and influenced Sheikh Hasina, who by virtue of her direct influence and under the special powers granted to her, abused the authority vested in her in breach of public trust to attain the property', claimed Mr Salahuddin. 'A perusal of the records collected during the course of the investigation also reveals that the accused, Sheikh Hasina, influenced the allotment of the plots in the Purbachal New City Project in favour of the accused Sheikh Rehana, in violation of the rules,' he added. The court has set the next hearing as Aug 28. The ACC has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq, alleging corruption in connection with the government of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India last year after a mass uprising against her dictatorial rule. The ACC has listed all accused as fugitives and on July 31, charges were framed against 28 people, including Ms Siddiq, Sheikh Hasina and other family members, as well as several current and former officials of the ministry of housing and public works. Ms Siddiq has not appeared at any of the pre-trial hearings so far. The court previously issued a warrant for her arrest in April.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tulip Siddiq brands corruption trial in Bangladesh a ‘farce' as case opens
A former Government minister has labelled a trial into her alleged corruption a 'farce' as it got under way in Bangladesh. Tulip Siddiq, who resigned in January as Treasury minister, said the case being heard in Dhaka was 'built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta'. Ms Siddiq is the niece of the former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheika Hasina, who fled the country in August last year after ruling for 15 years. Ms Hasina had previously held the post for five years and she is the daughter of Bangladesh's founding president. She was ousted amid student-led protests that were met with violence by government forces, which saw nearly 300 people killed. She is now exiled in India. In April, it was reported that Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission had sought an arrest warrant for Ms Siddiq over allegations the MP for Hampstead and Highgate illegally received a 7,200sq ft plot of land in the country's capital. Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials gave evidence in court on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. Ms Siddiq has claimed she has not had any official communication about the trial. In a post on X on Wednesday as the case got under way, Ms Siddiq said: 'The so-called trial now under way in Dhaka is nothing more than a farce – built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta. 'Over the past year, the allegations against me have repeatedly shifted, yet I have never been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities once. 'I have never received a court summons, no official communication, and no evidence. 'If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with me or my legal team, responded to our formal correspondence, and presented the evidence they claim to hold. 'Instead, they have peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators. 'Even my offer to meet Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during his recent visit to London was refused. Such conduct is wholly incompatible with the principles of a fair trial that we uphold in the UK. 'I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging.' The MP had resigned in January after six months in Government after an investigation by the Prime Minister's ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus into her links to Ms Hasina's regime. She came under scrutiny over her use of properties in London linked to her aunt's allies. She stepped down and said she had become 'a distraction' from Labour's agenda. Campaigners from her aunt's party, the Awami League, had campaigned and canvassed for her during previous general elections. In an interview with the Guardian before the trial began, Ms Siddiq said she had been 'collateral damage' in the long-standing feud between Mr Yunus and Ms Hasina. She said: 'These are wider forces that I'm battling against… There's no doubt people have done wrong things in Bangladesh, and they should be punished for it. It's just I'm not one of them.' After an outcry over the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of people demonstrating against what they said was an increasingly autocratic and cruel administration, Ms Hasina and Siddiq's mother, Sheikh Rehana, who was in the country at the time, fled the Bangladeshi capital in a military helicopter to India. It was, Ms Siddiq admits, a scary time. Ms Hasina's entire family, apart from her husband, children and sister, were murdered during the August 15 1975 Bangladeshi coup d'etat in which Ms Siddiq's grandfather, the first president of Bangladesh, was assassinated.
Arab News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Nepal ex-PM faces graft charge over land deal with Indian yoga guru's firm
KATMANDU: Authorities in Nepal have charged former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal with corruption and demanded a million-dollar fine over the purchase of land by a firm owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, a court official said on Friday. Nepal, prime minister between 2009 and 2011, faces charges of allowing Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal's company to purchase more land than it was legally allowed to own for herb production, processing and a hospital in the Himalayan nation 15 years ago. Both Nepal and Patanjali Yogpeeth deny any wrongdoing. The 72-year-old Nepal heads a small opposition group in parliament and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an act of 'political vendetta' against him. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog, alleged that some of the land, in Kavre district, was later allowed to be swapped with other land, or sold at a higher price, causing a loss to the state. 'I have not done anything illegal nor indulged in any corruption concerning Patanjali land deal causing any loss to the state,' Nepal told the Kantipur daily newspaper. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority a corruption watchdog, alleged that some of the land, in Kavre district, was later allowed to be swapped with other land, or sold at a higher price, causing a loss to the state. The allegations were set out in a charge sheet filed by the commission on Thursday at the Special Court in Katmandu. The commission demanded Nepal be ordered to pay a fine of 185.85 million Nepali rupees ($1.35 million). If found guilty he could also be sentenced to up to 17 years in jail. A spokesperson for Patanjali in India denied any wrongdoing, saying it bought the land privately through due legal process. 'Patanjali has not acquired any government land. It is unfair to drag our name in local political vendetta actions and proceedings,' S K Tijarawala, Patanjali's spokesperson, told Reuters in a text message. The commission also charged 92 others, including some former ministers and officials, some of whom are already dead. Yaga Raj Regmi, information officer of the court, said Nepal would receive a formal court notice giving him 15 days in which to present himself at court and the hearing would start after that.
Reuters
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Nepal ex-PM faces graft charge over land deal with Indian yoga guru's firm
KATHMANDU, June 6 (Reuters) - Authorities in Nepal have charged former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal with corruption and demanded a million-dollar fine over the purchase of land by a firm owned by Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, a court official said on Friday. Nepal, prime minister between 2009 and 2011, faces charges of allowing Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal company to purchase more land than it was legally allowed to own for herb production, processing and a hospital in the Himalayan nation 15 years ago. Both Nepal and Patanjali Yogpeeth deny any wrongdoing. The 72-year-old Nepal heads a small opposition group in parliament and his United Socialist Party says the prosecution is an act of "political vendetta" against him. "I have not done anything illegal nor indulged in any corruption concerning Patanjali land deal causing any loss to the state," Nepal told the Kantipur daily newspaper. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a corruption watchdog, alleged that some of the land, in Kavre district, was later allowed to be swapped with other land, or sold at a higher price, causing a loss to the state. The allegations were set out in a charge sheet filed by the commission on Thursday at the Special Court in Kathmandu. The commission demanded Nepal be ordered to pay a fine of 185.85 million Nepali rupees ($1.35 million). If found guilty he could also be sentenced to up to 17 years in jail. A spokesperson for Patanjali in India denied any wrongdoing, saying it bought the land privately through due legal process. "Patanjali has not acquired any government land. It is unfair to drag our name in local political vendetta actions and proceedings," S K Tijarawala, Patanjali's spokesperson, told Reuters in a text message. The commission also charged 92 others, including some former ministers and officials, some of whom are already dead. Yaga Raj Regmi, information officer of the court, said Nepal would receive a formal court notice giving him 15 days in which to present himself at court and the hearing would start after that.
