Mirza Abbas’ bail hearing shifted to Apr 27

The High Court today deferred until April 27 the hearing on a bail petition of Mirza Abbas, BNP-blessed mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation polls, in a corruption case.

An HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan came up with the order after Abbas’ lawyer Joynul Abedin prayed for the deferment of the bail petition hearing.

In his prayer, Joynul Abedin told the court that they are waiting for a decision from Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha on the split orders of another HC bench on the bail petitions of Abbas in two vandalism and arson cases.

On April 15, a HC bench of Justice Qaumrul Islam Siddque and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore passed the split order in the two cases.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the graft case with Shahbagh Police Station on March 6 last year against BNP leader Alamgir Kabir and three others on charge of causing a loss of around Tk 15.52 crore to the government by allocating land to journalists.

Abbas filed the bail petition earlier this month apprehending that he might be arrested in the case as the ACC prepared charge sheet against him along with other accused.

On April 13, the HC bench of Justice Quamrul and Justice Tagore dropped the bail petition in connection with the case saying that there is a specific bench for hearing the petition regarding it.

On April 16, today’s HC bench accepted Abbas’ bail petition and fixed April 21 (today) for the hearing and disposal of the case.

Abbas, BNP’s city convener, currently has at least 60 cases against him including an arrest warrant in one lawsuit filed by anti-graft watchdog Anti-Corruption Commission.

He collected his nomination paper from the Election Commission on March 27 for contesting DSCC polls scheduled to be held on April 28.

BNP on April 4 decided to back Abbas, also a standing committee member of the parfty, for the upcoming mayoral race in the elections.

His wife Afroza Abbas on April 9 started polls campaign on his behalf in DSCC, two days after electoral campaign formally began.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have floated a stern warning that they will arrest “fugitives” who will be participating in city polls without securing bail.