Desk Report:

A Dhaka court today (March 19) sentenced Hallmark Chairman Jasmine Islam and Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud to life imprisonment in a case filed for swindling about Tk 4,000 crore.

Judge Md Abul Kashem of the Special Judge Court-1 of Dhaka delivered the verdict.

On January 28, after hearing the arguments of the case, the court fixed February 28 for announcing the judgment. Later, again on March 12, after the presentation of arguments by the ACC and the accused, March 19 was fixed for announcing the judgment.

According to the case documents, the 19 accused, including Hallmark Group Managing Director Md Tanvir Mahmud and his wife and company Chairman Jasmine Islam, are accused of embezzling Tk16.50 crore after taking out loans amounting to Tk525.62 crore in the name of non-existent Max Spinning Mills.

Earlier, the court recorded statements of 57 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

On March 27, 2016, another Dhaka court framed charges against them in the case.