Graft cases stayed by HC, explanation sought

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The High Court (HC) yesterday stayed proceedings of graft cases against detained BNP leaders Tarique Rahman, Moudud Ahmed, Nazmul Huda and his wife Sigma Huda for amassing wealth beyond their known sources of income.

The bench of Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury Rahman made the ruling in response to three writ petitions filed by former premier Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique, former law minister Moudud and former communications minister Huda.

In separate rules, it ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other authorities concerned to explain within six weeks why the cases pursuant to the notices asking the defendants to turn in wealth statements shall not be declared illegal.

The court also asked the government to explain why bringing the graft charges under the emergency power rules should not be adjudged to have been made without lawful authority.

The petitions filed on Thursday question the legality of filing and continuing of the cases.

Barrister Rafique-ul Huq assisted by Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan moved for the three.

Khokan told The Daily Star that the ACC chairman, its officials who are also the complainants in the cases, and chief metropolitan magistrate are respondents to the HC rules.

Tarique, also senior joint secretary general of the BNP, stands accused of accumulating wealth worth over Tk 4.82 crore through illegal means and keeping back information of properties worth over Tk 4.23 crore.

ACC Deputy Director Jahirul Huda on September 26 filed the case against him, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and mother-in-law Iqbal Mand Banu for withholding wealth information.

Zubaida and her mother were charged with aiding and abetting him in attempts to show that his was legal income.

ACC Deputy Assistant Director Shariful Haque Siddiqui filed the case against Moudud with the Gulshan Police Station on September 16.

According to the first information report, the BNP standing committee member did not declare wealth worth Tk 4.40 crore. He has assets to the tune of Tk 7.38 crore which is disproportionate to his sources of income.

ACC Assistant Director Talebur Rahman sued the Huda couple on July 11 for discrepancies between their actual wealth and the statements they had submitted to the anti-graft body.

The two are also accused of concealing information of wealth worth over Tk 2.19 crore.

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