SC clears way for Mosharraf’s graft trial

The Supreme Court upholds a High Court order that cleared the way for a trial court to continue proceedings of a graft case against BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

The four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain dismissed a leave to appeal petition filed by KhandakerMosharraf challenging the High Court order.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Jan 10, 2008 filed a case with Ramna police station against KhandkerMosharraf Hossain and his wife Bilkis on charges of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 12.51 crore and concealing information about Tk 3.11crore in their wealth statement.

There is no legal bar for the lower court to continue the trial proceedings against KhandakerMosharraf following the SC order, ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

On January 9 this year, the HC cleared the way for the lower court concerned to continue the trial proceedings of the case against the BNP leader through rejecting a petition filed by him (Mosharraf) seeking further investigation and a stay order on trial proceedings.

Mosharraf said in his petition that he does not have the ownership of some properties mentioned in the case in which allegation were brought against him.

Later on Mosharraf filed the leave to appeal petition with the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.

Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali appeared for the accused BNP leader.