A Dhaka court today sentenced "Casino Brothers" -- Enamul Haque Enu and Rupon Bhuiyan -- and nine others to seven years' rigorous imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 2 crore.
Judge Md Iqbal Hossain of the Dhaka Special Judges' Court-5 also fined them Tk 4 crore each.
Enu, former vice-president of the Gendaria unit of Awami League, and Rupon, joint general secretary of the same unit, were present at the court.
The other convicts are Enu's three brothers -- Shahidul Haque Bhuiyan, Rashidul Haque Bhuiyan and Merajul Haque Bhuiyan; General Secretary of Wanderers Club in Motijheel Joy Gopal Sarkar; and their accomplices Tuhin Munshi, Nabir Hossain Sikder, Saiful Islam, Abul Kalam Azad and Pavel Rahman.
Of them, Enu, Rupon, Joy Gopal, Nabir Hossain, Azad and Saiful were earlier arrested in connection with a case filed with Wari Police Station on September 25, 2019 and they are now in jail custody.
Tuhin was earlier arrested in the same case and later he was released on bail and Shahidul, Rashidul, Merajul and Pavel are on the run.
In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution was able to prove the charges against the accused undoubtedly and they were given the highest punishment for committing such offences.
The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of the arrest or surrender of the fugitives.
This was the first time that Enu and Rupon were convicted in a money laundering case.
According to the prosecution, it was admitted that the money seized from their possession was earned through casino game and gambling
During the trial, the court recorded statements of 10 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.
The court framed charges against the convicts on May 5 last year.
