Staff Reporter:
The High Court (HC) yesterday acquitted BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubai-da Rahman of the charges in a graft case, in which they were convicted and sentenced with nine-year and three-year jail terms respectively by a lower court.
A High Court division bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman pronounced the judgment, allowing Dr Zubaida Rahman’s appeal against her jail sentence in the case.
“The appeal is allowed and setting aside the judgment of the trial court,” the judgment said.
Senior jurists Zainul Abedin, SM Shahjahan, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim, Barrister Badruddoja Badal and Advocate Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, Advocate Maksud Ullah moved the case for Zubaida, while senior advocate Asif Hassan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The High Court on May 26 set yesterday for pronouncing its verdict on the appeal filed by Dr Zubaida Rahman. The High Court division bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman set the date after end of the hear-ing on the matter.
The court on May 14 granted bail to Dr Zubaida Rahman as she filed an appeal against her conviction and three-year jail sentence in the case. It passed the order, allowing Dr Zubaida Rahman bail till the disposal of the appeal matter. The High Court gave the order after accepting Dr Zubaida Rahman’s ap-peal petition for hearing.
The High Court also sought documents of the case from the lower court concerned and stayed Dr Zubai-da’s fine.
Senior advocate SM Shahjahan, Barrister Kaiser Kamal and Advocate Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan argued for Dr Zubaida Rahman, while senior advocate Asif Hassan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The High Court on May 13 condoned Dr Zubaida Rahman for her 578 days of delay in filing the appeal against the lower court conviction and three-year jail sentence in the graft case.
The ACC filed the case with the city’s Kafrul Police Station against three, including Tarique Rahman and Zubaida Rahman, for amassing illegal wealth and concealing information about the properties.
On August 2, 2023, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman sentenced Tarique Rahman to nine years and Zubaida Rahman to three years in prison in the case.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended Zubaida Rahman’s sentence for one year on Septem-ber 22, 2024.
