SC upholds BNP MP Harun’s bail; no bar on release

The Supreme Court today upheld a High Court order that granted bail to BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid in a corruption case in which he was jailed for five years by a lower court.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed “no order” on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday seeking a stay on the HC order

The apex court’s “no order” means the HC order will remain in force, ACC lawyer Kurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

He said there is no legal bar to Harunur Rashid to get released from the jail following the SC order.

On October 28, the HC granted six months’ bail to Harunur Rashid in the corruption case, clearing the way for him to walk out of jail.

The HC also stayed the part of the lower court verdict that fined the Chapainawabganj-3 lawmaker Tk 50 lakh.

The bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain passed the order following an appeal filed by Harunur Rashid challenging the trial court verdict.

A Dhaka court on October 21 sentenced Harun to five years’ imprisonment and fined him Tk 50 lakh in the case filed for tax evasion while importing a luxury car.

The tax was dodged by abusing the MP’s duty-free car import facility, according to the case statement.