UK MP Tulip Siddiq jailed for 2 years by Bangladesh court in land-scam case

A United Kingdom Member of Parliament, Tulip Siddiq, has been sentenced to two years in prison and a 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka fine, by a Bangladeshi court, in her absence over corruption allegations.

The labour MP and former minister has been proven guilty of getting a plot of land for her family by influencing her aunt, the fugitive Prime Minister of Bangladesh Hasina Wajid.

Ms Siddiq has denied the claims against her, stating that the allegations against her are “false and vexatious”.

The sitting UK MP is unlikely to serve her sentence; however, she's facing a number of cases filed by the prosecutors after Hasina’s ouster.

The court documents reveal that Ms Siddiq secured the piece of land “using her special powers” for her family, including mother Rehana Siddiq, brother Radwan Siddiq and sister Azmina Siddiq.

Her aunt (Sheikh Hasina) was sentenced to five years, and her mother (Sheikh Rehana) to seven years, in the same case.

Previously, the MP for Hampstead and Highgate had to quit her Treasury minister post over controversy tying her to her aunt, Hasina Wajid.

The prosecutors argue that she was tried as a Bangladeshi citizen, claiming that authorities have obtained her ID card, voter ID, Bangladeshi passport and tax number.

However, the defense contradicts the claims stating their client never had any Bangladeshi ID, voter card or passport.

Siddiq has not yet reacted to the verdict against her.