The High Court (HC) has upheld five years of imprisonment for BNP MP Harunur Rashid in a corruption case filed by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC).
The single HC bench of Justice Md Selim delivered the verdict on Thursday (December 9), rejecting an appeal filed against the conviction of three people, including Harunur Rashid, in the case.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Advocate Syed Mizanur Rahman and Advocate HM Sanjeed Siddiqui stood in the court for the BNP MP and two other accused, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the ACC.
MP Harun was in jail for 16 months in the case. The High Court in its verdict said that the period three accused had passed in jail would be considered serving jail term as long as they have been in the jail. As a result, they will no longer have to go to jail.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon said that MP Harun is innocent. “We will appeal against the verdict to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court,” he said.
Earlier on October 21 in 2019, a Dhaka court sentenced Harunur Rashid to five years in prison and fined Tk 50 lakh in a case filed by the ACC over importing duty-free cars and embezzling money by selling those.
Two other accused in the case are- former NTV Managing Director Enayetur Rahman Bappi and Sky Autos owner Ishtiak Sadek.
Enayetur Rahman was sentenced to two years in jail and fined Tk 100,000 while Car importer Ishtiak Sadek was sentenced to three years in jail and Tk 40 lakh in fines.
Later, MP Harun and two others filed appeal against the trial court verdict.
On March 17 in 2007, the case was filed with Tejgaon Police Station in Dhaka against three people, including Harunur Rashid, for importing duty-free cars and embezzling money by selling those while he was MP during the BNP-Jammat tenure from 2001 to 2006.
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Later on July 18 in 2007, ACC assistant director Monayem Hossain submitted charge sheet implicating three people, including Harunur Rashid, after investigating the case. The court started the trial on August 20 in 2007.
Harunur Rashid was elected MP from Chapainawabganj-3 constituency in the elections held on December 30 in 2018.