Agency

The Appellate Division did not halt a High Court order that stayed proceedings against Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zobaida Rahman who are facing charges of amassing wealth beyond their known sources of income.

After hearing two separate appeals by the Anticorruption Commission seeking freezes on the HC orders, the appeals court Wednesday set April 28 for the next hearing.

On Oct 1 last year, the High Court stayed proceedings against Tarique after an appeal the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Then, on Oct 4 last year, the Appellate Division halted the High Court order for three weeks, ordering the state to file an application seeking leave to appeal within the allotted period. However, "leave to appeal" was not sought by the deadline. The ACC made a fresh appeal against the High Court order on April 7, where the chamber judge referred the appeal to the full bench of the Appellate Division.

Advocate Anisul Haque appeared on behalf of the ACC, while barrister Rafique-ul-Huq appeared for the defence. "The Appellate Division said the appeal should be made within three week, but the ACC has only now made its appeal, after 155 days.

Therefore the ACC appeal should be cancelled," counsel for the defence claimed. The High Court halted proceedings for two months against Tarique's wife on April 8 in the same case. On Sept 26, ACC deputy director Zahiurl Huda filed a corruption case with Kafrul Police Station against Tarique, his wife, and mother-in-law Syeda Iqbalmand Banu on charges of amassing wealth worth Tk 4.81 crore beyond their known income.

They were also charged with submitting a false wealth statement to the ACC. Senior advocate Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmed appeared for Zobaida.