HC to hear plea challenging Maya’s ministership tomorrow

The High Court will hold hearing tomorrow on a writ petition challenging the legality of holding offices of minister and lawmaker by Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.

The bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal today set the date after the petitioner prayed to it for hearing the petition.

Eunus Ali Akond, a Supreme Court lawyer, submitted the writ petition on July 7 praying to the HC to issue a rule upon the Relief and Disaster Management Minister Maya to explain under what authority he is holding the offices of lawmaker and minister after the SC scrapped his acquittal in a corruption case.

He also requested the court to direct Maya to restrain from acting as a minister and a lawmaker until the HC disposes of the rule.

In the petition, Eunus said Maya cannot hold the offices of minister and parliament member as per Article 66(2)(D) of the constitution as he is convicted in a corruption case following the SC order.

The article says, “A person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who –has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release”.

On June 14, SC cancelled a HC verdict that acquitted minister and senior Awami League leader Maya in the case filed in 2007.

A special court on February 14, 2008 awarded Maya 13 years in prison and Tk 5 crore in fine for amassing illegal property. Authorities concerned were also directed to confiscate Maya’s property.

Upon an appeal filed by Maya, the HC on February 14, 2008 acquitted him of the corruption charges.