Former Jessore municipal mayor Haidar Gani Khan Palash has been sentenced to one and a half years of rigorous imprisonment and fined in a fraud case. Senior Judicial Magistrate Golam Kibria delivered the verdict on Wednesday.
The convicted Haidar Gani Khan Palash is the son of the late Osman Gani Khan of Ghop Pilukhana Road in Jessore city.
According to the case details, in late 2004, Palash announced the sale of 2.93 decimals of land at house 83/1 in F-Block of the suburb. Upon hearing the news, Sufia Khatun, wife of Amzad Hossain of house 111 in the same block, agreed to purchase the land for 450,000 BDT. On October 9 of that year, Palash accepted an advance of 60,000 BDT and issued an affidavit through a notary public. Trusting his intentions, Sufia Khatun later paid the remaining 390,000 BDT.
However, despite receiving the full payment, Palash delayed transferring the land ownership. Eventually, on March 14, 2005, he handed over possession through a power of attorney. Sufia Khatun took possession, built a house and shops, and began renting them out.
Not long after, Palash forcibly began collecting rent from the tenants. On January 8, 2016, during a community mediation, Palash declared he would not relinquish control over the property. Following the failed settlement, Sufia Khatun filed a fraud case against him on January 28, 2016.
After a prolonged trial and multiple witness hearings, the court found Palash guilty of fraud. He was sentenced to one and a half years of rigorous imprisonment, fined 2,000 BDT, and ordered to serve an additional two months in jail if the fine is not paid. Palash is currently absconding.