Moudud sent to jail in liquor smuggling case

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Detained BNP leader and former law minister Moudud Ahmed was sent to jail yesterday in connection with the case filed for smuggling in contraband foreign liquors and possessing those.

Another Dhaka court yesterday fixed April 26 for hearing on charge-framing against detained former communications minister Nazmul Huda in an arms case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Selina Akhter passed the order after Moudud, who is also a member of the BNP Standing Committee, was produced before the court on completion of his four-day remand.

Heavily guarded by police, a gloomy Moudud was produced before the court at 2:30pm where his lawyers moved two petitions one for his treatment and the other for providing him division in the jail custody.

In the forwarding report placed before the court, Officer-in-Charge of Gulshan Police Station Obaidul Haq, who is also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, said he gathered important information about the contraband liquors from Moudud who failed to show any documents for bringing and keeping those liquors.

The IO also mentioned that through misuse of power during his ministership Moudud had kept sarees, meant for the poor as government relief, in his possession. Besides, the ex-minister did not distribute those to the people, which is a corruption.

Filing a separate case by the Anti-Corruption Commission in this regard is now under process and subject to investigation.

Moreover, the case will be brought under the Emergency Power Rules 2007 and Moudud will be shown arrested under the rules within a short time for his alleged involvement with corruption. So, he should be confined in the jail custody until the investigation of the case is complete, the IO said.

Opposing the police report, advocates Azizul Haq and Mahbub Uddin Khokon argued that their client was mentally tortured during the remand and they did not know where he was taken for interrogation.

Moudud had been suffering from various diseases and he should be given treatment and provided with division during his confinement in jail custody, said the defence lawyers.

Asked by the journalists where he was taken during remand, Moudud in the dock said he was an accused and he should not disclose it to any people.

After hearing both the sides, the court ordered sending Moudud to jail and directed the jail authorities to take necessary steps for his treatment and provide division for Moudud in jail custody.

The army-led joint forces arrested Moudud from his Gulshan residence on April 13 and he was sued under Section 25 (B) of the Special Powers Act, 1974 for bringing the foreign liquors, evading government tax.

On March 25, the National Board of Revenue directed banks to freeze the accounts of Moudud Ahmed and his wife.

Huda’s Arms Case

Another Dhaka court yesterday adjourned the proceedings of the arms case against Nazmul Huda till April 26 following a time petition by the defence lawyers.

Judge Mohammad Aman Ullah of the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court passed the adjournment order after Huda was produced before the court at 11:45am under a heavy security.

The defence lawyers submitted two petitions one for adjournment of the hearing on charge framing against Huda and the other for talking to him about the case for an hour.

After the hearing, the judge granted the two petitions.

Dhanmondi police on April 10 pressed charges against Huda for possessing illegal firearms and ammunition.

The joint forces seized a revolver, 14 bullets, a huge amount of local and foreign currencies, four passports and a mobile phone set from Huda’s Dhanmondi residence and arrested him on February 4.

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