Hallmark Chairperson Jesmin Islam and Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud and seven others were awarded life term imprisonment for swindling Tk 10.5 crore of Sonali Bank.
The couple Tanvir-Jesmin were also fined Tk 5 crore.
This is the one case out of total 11 cases filed against Hallmark for allegedly misappropriating nearly Tk 4,000 crore of loan money of the state-owned bank.
Judge Md Abul Kashem of the Special Judges Court-1 of Dhaka delivered the judgement on Tuesday.
The court also sentenced seven others to 10 years and another individual to five years in jail.
The other lifers are Tanvirs brother Tushar Ahmed, T and Brothers Director Taslim Hasan, Max Spinning Mills owner Mir Zakaria, Paragon Group Managing Director Saiful Islam Raja, Nakshi Knit managing director Abdul Malek, Sonali Bank Assistant Deputy General Manager (DGM) Saiful Hasan and Executive Officer Abdul Motin, Eight others who were handed different terms in the same case are - Sonali Bank former managing director (MD) Humayun Kabir, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Mainul Haque, Deputy General Manager (DGM) Safi Uddin, AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan, Sonali Bank Senior Executive Officer (Dhanmondi Branch) Meherunnesa Merry, Sonali Bank (head office) former general managers Nani Gopal Nath, Mir Mohidur Rahman and Savar Hemayetpurs Tantuljhora Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Md Jamal Uddin Sarkar.
Terming the Hallmark scam as an extraordinary incident, the judge said in his observation that those criminals who think the trust property of people, the banking system and the economy of the country as a plaything, they deserve death penalty.
On January 28, the trial court fixed February 28 for delivery of judgment in the case. Later the judgement date in the case was deferred following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as the ACC found two magistrates statements were not included in the trial proceedings. Following the ACCs plea, the court on March 4 recorded statements of the then confession recorder Magistrate Keshav Roy Chowdhury and Magistrate Saifur Rahman.
On Marchr 12, the trial court fixed Tuesday for delivery of judgment in the case after ending arguments of both the prosecution and the defence sides.
Earlier, the court recorded statements of 57 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.
On March 27 in 2016, another Dhaka court framed charges against them in the case.
Jesmin, Tanvir and six others are now in jail custody while Jamal is now on bail. And 10 others have been absconding.
According to the case documents, the 17 accused, including Hallmark Group Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud, his wife and the companys chairman, Jesmin Islam are accused of embezzling Tk 16.50 crore after taking loan of Tk 525.62 crore in the name of a non-existent Max Spinning Mills.
ACC filed the case on October 4 in 2012, with the capitals Ramna Police Station.
Student protests against Israels offensive in Gaza spread
Armed forces have earned peoples trust standing by them in crises: PM