The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday filed an appeal with the High Court challenging a trial court verdict acquitting BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case. “We have filed the appeal with the HC against the lower court verdict. We have appealed for cancellation of Tarique Rahman’s acquittal,” ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam told The Independent. The appeal contained a total of 121-page seeking cancellation of the trial court verdict that was delivered on Nov 17.
In its November 17 verdict, the trial court said that Tarique was acquitted of the money laundering charge as no evidence was found against him.
The court, however, sentenced Giasuddin Al Mamun, a close friend and business partner of Tarique, to seven years imprisonment and fined him Tk 40 crore.
The court said that Mamun had demanded more than Tk 20 crore from Khadiza Islam, proprietor of Nirman Constructions at Banani, in 2003, assuring her that she would get the work order for an 80-MW power plant in Tongi. He had taken Tk 20.41 crore forcibly from Khadiza, the court added.
On October 26, 2009, ACC Deputy Director M Ibrahim filed the case against Tarique, also the elder son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, and Giasuddin Al Mamun with Cantonment Police Station under the Money Laundering Act, accusing them of siphoning off over Tk 20.43 crore to Singapore.
M Ibrahim, investigating officer of the case, submitted charges against the duo on July 6, 2010 and the trial began on September 11, 2011.
On August 8, 2010, the court issued an arrest warrant against Tarique. On May 26 this year, the same court cleared the way for the ACC to seek Interpol assistance in arresting Tarique.
It was the first judgment in one of the 16 cases, including the gruesome August 21 grenade attack cases, against Tarique.
He was arrested on March 7, 2007, during a crackdown on corruption by the military-backed caretaker government.
After securing a parole, Tarique went to London in September 2008 for treatment, and later obtained bail in other cases as well.
-With The Independent input
