Verdict in graft case against BNP’s Mirza Abbas deferred for second time

The judgment on the Anti-Corruption Commission charges of having assets beyond means against senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas has been deferred again.

This is the second time the announcement of the verdict was postponed.

Judge Manjurul Imam of Dhaka’s No. 6 Special Judges Court was scheduled to deliver the verdict on Tuesday, but it was delayed again as the judge’s father was hospitalised, said court clerk Zahidul Islam.

Abbas’s lawyer, Mohiuddin Chowdhury, told reporters that a new date has been set for Dec 28.

Initially, the judge was supposed to announce the verdict on Nov 30. However, the date was rescheduled to Dec 12 as the judge had not prepared the verdict, citing a ‘lack of time.’

Mirza Abbas was represented by Aminul Islam, Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Shahinur Islam Ani. ACC lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir represented the state.

ACC lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir expects Mirza Abbas, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, to be sentenced to jail in the case, which was filed over illegally acquired wealth of more than Tk 75 million more than 16 years ago.

However, defence lawyer Aminul is hopeful that Abbas will be acquitted.

The lawyer claims that Abbas has no illegally accumulated assets to his name and has inherited a large amount of property in Rajarbagh in Dhaka’s Shahjahanpur.