The High Court has upheld the jail term given to BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, the party’s Dhaka city unit convener Amanullah Aman and Aman’s wife Sabera Aman in corruption cases.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat on Tuesday upheld the jail term to the BNP leaders given by a trial court, dismissing the pleas of the defence.
The higher court upheld the 13-year jail term given to former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman and three years in jail for his wife Sabera Aman in a graft case.
On the other hand, the higher court upheld the nine-year jail term awarded against former state minister for power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku in a separate graft case.
The HC bench ordered the defendants to surrender to the trial court two weeks after receiving the copy of the High Court verdict.
Advocate AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Advocate Nazmul Huda argued for Amanullah Aman and his wife in the court, while Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC and Advocate Saifullah Mamun appeared for Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku.
On the other hand, Advocate Md Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the High Court, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin represented the state.
The accused have to surrender to the trial court in two weeks from the day the lower court accepts the verdict and can file a petition with the Appellate Division after they have the certified copy of the verdict, said ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam.
On March 6 in 2007, the ACC filed a graft case against Amanullah Aman and his wife Sabera Aman with the Kafrul Police Station in the capital.
The couple amassed illegal wealth worth Tk. 99.4 million from 1992 to 2006, the case document said. Amanullah Aman accumulated wealth worth Tk. 33 million while Sabera Aman made a fortune of around Tk. 66 million coming from unknown sources.
On June 21 in 2007, the Special Judge’s Court sentenced Amanullah Aman to 13 years imprisonment for amassing illegal wealth beyond his known source of income and his wife was awarded with three years of imprisonment.
The couple appealed to the High Court against the verdict and the High Court overturned the verdict. They were acquitted on August 16 in 2010.
Later, the ACC filed an appeal. Following the appeal, the High Court on May 26 in 2014 struck down the verdict and ordered to rehear the case.
On the other hand, on March 21 in 2007, ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station against Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku for concealing his assets and source of income worth Tk 4.96 crore.
On November 15 in 2007, a trial court sentenced the BNP leader to nine years in prison. Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku appealed against the verdict and was acquitted by the High Court on June 15 in 2011. The ACC appealed against that verdict.
On January 21 in 2014, the Appellate Division of Supreme Court dismissed the acquittal verdict and ordered a rehearing as ACC appealed against the verdict.