DHAKA, July 19, 2022 (BSS) - A Dhaka court today sentenced eight people 
including JKG Healthcare Chairperson Dr Sabrina Chowdhury and its Chief 
Executive Officer (CEO) Ariful Haque Chowdhury to 10-year imprisonment each 
in a case for issuing fake coronavirus (Covid-19) test reports.
 
Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain convicted and 
sentenced the eight under three separate sections of the Code of Criminal 
Procedure (CrPC).
 
The other six convicts are-- Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Humayun Kabir Himu, 
Tanjila Patwari, Biplob Das, Shafikul Islam Romeo and Jebunnesa. 
 
The convicts were sentenced to three-year imprisonment and were fined three 
thousand Taka each under section 420, sentenced to four-year imprisonment and 
fined four thousand Taka under section 466 and were sentenced to four-year 
imprisonment and fined four thousand Taka each under section 471.
 
"The convicts supplied fake Covid-19 test reports. When the state took 
responsibility of conducting the tests free of cost, these convicts had 
played with the lives of the people through fake tests," the court said in 
its observation.
 
The court on June 29 had set today to pronounce the judgment as both the 
prosecution and defence concluded their arguments in the case on that day. A 
total of 26 witnesses out of 40 testified in the case on different hearing 
dates.
 
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court on August 20, 2020, framed charges 
against the eight accused.
 
The investigation officer (IO) and DB inspector Liakat Ali in the charge-
sheet accused Sabrina and Ariful of being the masterminds behind the scam and 
the others as their cohorts.
 
One Kamal Hossain filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on June 15, 
2020, for issuing fake Covid-19 test reports.
 
JKG Healthcare run by Ariful and his wife Dr Sabrina, realised money from the 
suspected patients for coronavirus test, whereas the company had inked a deal 
with the government to conduct the test free of cost.