Bangladesh ex-Army Chief held in Mig-29 purchase scam case

Dhaka, May 25 (UNI) Police today arrested Bangladesh's former Army Chief of staff Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, accused in the Mig-29 warplane graft case.

Rahman was held, following an arrest warrant issued by a Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court, where the case hearing is scheduled for May 28.

The cops apprehended and detained Rahman at Apollo Hospital in the capital, where he was undergoing a heart treatment.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Gen (retd) Rahman and other top defence officials were also accused in the purchase of Russian made eight Mig-29 fighter jets that caused a loss of Tk 700 crore to the public exchequer.

The jets were purchased in February 1999, when Ms Hasina ruled the country as the Prime Minister. She was arrested on July 16, 2007, and is facing several scam cases, including the Mig-29 case.

Other accused in the Mig-29 scam include former Air Force chief Air Vice Marshall (retd) Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain and Air Commodore (retd) Mirza Akhter Maruf.

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