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The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun in a money laundering case.
A four-member appellate bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed issued the verdict on Thursday, overturning the High Court’s decision in the case.
Advocate Mohammad Zakir Hossain, a counsel for the defence, confirmed the news to bdnews24.com.
The case against Tarique and Mamun was filed at the Dhaka Cantonment Police Station on October 26, 2009. The court indicted the two on July 6, 2010, and the trial began on July 6, 2011.
On November 17, 2013, Dhaka Special Judge Md Motahar Hossain acquitted Tarique and sentenced businessman Gias to seven years in prison on charges of laundering Tk 200 million to Singapore.
The Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC, moved the High Court against the acquittal of Tarique on December 5, 2013.
After hearing the appeal, the High Court overturned the trial court’s acquittal and sentenced the BNP leader to seven years in prison on July 21, 2016. Mamun’s prison sentence was upheld, but the Tk 400 million fine against him was reduced to Tk 200 million.
Following the changeover in government last year, Tarique’s lawyers pushed for an appeal to be heard. Mamun also petitioned to appeal.
On December 10 last year, the Appellate Division suspended the sentences and fines of Tarique and Mamun.
Tarique, the son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, has been in the UK since 2008. Several dozen cases had been filed against him during the military-backed caretaker government and the Awami League’s rule. He was since been acquitted in nearly 40 cases.