The High Court (HC) yesterday turned down a plea filed by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman and three others seeking the quashing of proceedings against them in a 210mn taka bribery case.
An HC bench comprising Justice Ruhul Quddus and Justice Mahmudul Hoque passed the order, clearing the way to continue the case in the lower court.
The three other accused include former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, Bashundhara Group director Abu Sufian and businessman Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal alias Econo Kamal.
Lawyers Mahabub Uddin Khokan and Sanzid Siddique stood for Tarique Rahman while Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Khurshid Alam Khan argued for
the state.
Siddique said the HC discharged Tarique’s pleas while the court upheld the bail of the BNP leader in the case.
On October 4, 2007, the ACC filed a case with Ramna police station against six people for the transaction of 210mn taka in bribe for not implicating one of Bashundhara Group chairman Shah Alam’s sons in a sensational murder case filed in 2006.
Tarique’s was not there in the first information report (FIR), but his involvement was found during the investigation.
During investigation, the ACC found that 140mn taka was transacted through cheques while 70mn taka in cash.
The body of Humayun Kabir Sabbir, 30, a director of Bashundhara Telecommunication Limited, was found in Gulshan on July 5, 2005.
As the involvement of Bashundhara Group chairman’s son Shafiyat Sobhan Sanvir was found in the killing, he along with his father met former state minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar and requested him not to implicate his name in the murder case.
After arrest, Babar confessed that Sobhan went to him and agreed to provide 500mn taka against his demand of 1bn taka in kickbacks for not implicating Sanvir in the case, even after investigators detected his involvement in the killing.
The ACC submitted charge-sheet against eight accused on April 23, 2008.
A special trial court framed charges against them on July 14 of the same year.
Later, Tarique and three others filed petitions with the High Court challenging the legality of the case and charge-framing.
After primary hearing, the HC stayed the case proceedings and issued a rule. The court started hearing the rule this year.