Tarique case

A chamber judge of the Supreme Court Monday turned down Anti-Corruption Commission''s fresh plea for stay on the High Court order having stalled a graft-case proceedings against detained BNP leader Tarique Rahman, reports UNB.

The chamber court, however, posted the ACC application for hearing in full court of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on April 15.

Justice MA Matin of the chamber court passed the order as the ACC attorney "failed to appear before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court within the stipulated timeframe", court sources said.

On October 4 last year, the Appellate Division, upon an ACC prayer, had stalled for three weeks the High Court order of stay on the proceedings of the graft case against Tarique, directing the ACC to file a regular leave petition in the meantime.

The apex court in its order also gave a warning to the anti-corruption watchdog that, if the ACC failed to do so, the SC stay ''shall stand vacated''.

Earlier, On October 1, the High Court, following a writ petition filed by Tarique challenging the validity of the graft case, had issued a rule upon the ACC had stayed the operation of the case proceedings. The case is now pending with the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka.

On September 26 last year, Deputy Director Jahirul Huda filed the case with Kafrul Police Station against Tarique, detained ex-PM Khaleda Zia''s elder son, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and mother-in-law Iqbalmand Banu for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information about the wealth.

On March 31, the ACC submitted charge sheet against them before the court. ACC Assistant Director Taufiqul Islam, also investigation officer (IO), submitted the charge sheet to the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate showing 57 persons as prosecution witnesses.

According to the charge sheet, Tarique concealed wealth worth about Tk 2.17 crore in his wealth statement and also amassed about Tk 2.75 crore beyond his known sources of income. His wife and mother-in-law were accused of aiding and abetting him in protecting the ill-gotten wealth.

On March 7 last year, joint forces arrested Tarique at their Cantonment residence after an extortion case was filed against him by a businessman while a purge against corruption in high places went on in the interim period. Tarique is facing at least a dozen criminal cases.

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