Regent Hospital Scam: Ex-DGHS DG, 5 Others Indicted

A Dhaka court on Sunday framed charges against six people including the former director-general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Abul Kalam Azad, in a case over Regent Hospital’s fake Covid test report scam.

Judge of Dhaka Special Judge Court-6 Asad Mohammad Asifuzzaman framed the charges and fixed July 4 recording testimonies of the witnesses.

The trial in the case started formally with the framing of charges.

On June 6, the court fixed June 12 for charge framing hearing.

The five other accused are--- Regent chairman Md Shahed alias Shahed Karim, former DGHS director Aminul Hasan, deputy director Yunus Ali, assistant director Shafiur Rahman, and research officer Didarul Islam.

Of them, five including former DGHS DG Azad secured bail while Regent Group chairman Shahed is in jail now.

On September 30, 2021, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted a charge sheet to the court against six people, including Abul Kalam, in the case.

Azad was not initially named in the charge sheet but his name was added later following an investigation.

On September 23 of 2020, Deputy Director of the anti-graft commission Farid Ahmed Patwary lodged the complaint against five people with Dhaka Coordinated Office-1 for embezzling Tk 1.37 crore by issuing fake Covid test certificates from Regent Hospital.

On September 24, 2020, the court accepted the statement of case and directed ACC deputy director to investigate the case and submit a report.

On February 22, a Dhaka court accepted the chargesheet and shifted the case to Dhaka Spcial Judge Court-6.