Bangladesh News

The High Court (HC) yesterday granted ad interim bails to former law minister barrister Moudud Ahmed, former health minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former BNP lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anne in separate criminal cases.

Upon separate petitions, an HC bench comprising Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad also issued rules upon the government, asking it to explain why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail in the cases.

Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon, counsel for Moudud, Khandaker Mosharraf and Anne, yesterday told The Daily Star that his clients would now get released from jails as they were not arrested in any other cases.

“The High Court earlier bailed them in other cases filed by the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission [ACC],” he said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the HC orders that granted bail to 10 persons including three former ministers and two former lawmakers in separate graft cases filed by the ACC.

Dismissing the ACC petitions against the HC bail orders, the five-member full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin asked both sides of the petitions to take steps to dispose of the HC rules in the cases.

Earlier, following separate petitions from the accused the HC issued rules asking the government and the ACC to explain why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail in the cases and why proceedings against them should not be quashed.

Those who were granted bail by the HC are former BNP ministers Dr M Shamsul Islam and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former Awami League minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, former BNP lawmakers MAH Salim and Partex Group Chairman MA Hashem, former power adviser Mahmudur Rahman, Gatco Director Syed Galib Ahmed, former assistant secretary RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s wife Ismat Ara and former state minister Prof Rafiqul Islam’s wife Nurun Nahar Lily.

Except MAH Salim, all are now released on bail.

CASE AGAINST MOUDUD
Members of the joint forces arrested Moudud at his Gulshan residence on April 13 last year and seized 220 pieces of sarees meant for relief, 16 bottles of foreign liquor and 32 cans of beer from there.

Sub-Inspector of Gulshan Police Station Khabir Ahmed filed a case against Moudud on charge of importing foreign liquor and beer by evading duty. The police submitted the charge sheet of the case to the court on May 28 last year.

On June 17 last year, Moudud filed a petition with the HC to quash the case.

On July 7, the HC stayed the proceedings of the case and issued a rule upon the government asking it to show cause why the case should not be quashed.

Moudud recently filed another petition with the HC for bail in the case, upon which the HC yesterday granted him ad interim bail until disposal of the rule.

Barrister Rafique-ul Huq moved the petition for Moudud.

CASE AGAINST KHANDAKER MOSHARRAF
ACC Assistant Director Shafiul Alam filed a case with Ramna Police Station against Khandaker Mosharraf and his wife Bilkis Akter Hossain on charges of amassing wealth worth Tk 12.51 crore illegally and concealing information about Tk 3.11 crore in their wealth statements submitted to the ACC.

Khandaker Mosharraf recently filed a petition with the HC for bail in the case. After hearing his prayer, the HC yesterday granted him the bail.

Barrister Khokon said the ACC, the government and a few individuals filed 12 criminal cases against Khandaker Mosharraf and that he secured bail in all the cases.

Barrister Abdur Razzak appeared for the petitioner.

CASE AGAINST ANNE
Shamsul Haque, senior manager of M/S Abdul Monem Ltd, filed a case against the former BNP lawmaker with Shahbagh Police Station on September 10 last year, accusing him of extorting Tk 25 lakh from the company on May 7, 2005.

In the case statement, the complainant said Anne extorted the money in exchange for giving the company a work order for dredging. Anne initially asked for Tk 50 lakh but later accepted Tk 25 lakh from the complainant.

The investigation officer pressed charges against Anne on February 29 and the court framed charges against him on August 4.

Following an HC directive, Anne surrendered before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court for bail in the case on August 19 Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque rejected his bail prayer and sent him to jail.

On August 20, Anne filed a petition with the HC for bail in the case and quashing its proceedings. After hearing the petition, the HC bench granted him ad interim bail for three months and stayed the proceedings of the case for the same period.

Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain moved the petition for Anne.

CASE AGAINST AKM MOSHARRAF
The ACC filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station against former prime minister Khaleda Zia, AKM Mosharraf and several others on December 9 last year on charges of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko.

AKM Mosharraf recently filed a bail petition with the HC upon which he was granted a three-month bail.