A Dhaka court today could not take cognisance of charges against expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a case filed for siphoning off around Tk 222 crore, as he was not produced before it due to illness.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka set March 31 for next hearing of the case after jail authorities informed the court that Samrat was earlier admitted to BSMMU for treatment and he was not in a position to move.

The court also directed jail authorities to produce Samrat before it on that date (March 31).

The case was filed against him for siphoning off the money and channelling it to casinos in Singapore and Malaysia between 2011 and 2018.

On December 7 last year, Anti-Corruption Commission's Deputy Director Jahangir Alam, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Samrat, a "kingpin" of illegal casino businesses in Dhaka, to the Senior Special Judge's Court of the city.