Verdict in graft case against Mirza Abbas on Nov 30
Prosecution seeks highest punishment
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A Dhaka Court on Wednesday set November 30 to deliver its verdict in a case filed against BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on charge of amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income and concealing information in the wealth statement.
The judge of the Special Judge’s Court-6 in Dhaka, Monjurul Imam, passed the order after completing arguments (last stage of case proceedings before its verdict) from both sides, said the Public Prosecutor (PP) for the ACC Mahmud Hossain Jahangir.
Earlier in the day, PP Mahmud Hossain completed his arguments and sought the highest punishment for the BNP standing committee member in the graft case. He told the court that they were able to prove the charges brought against Mirza Abbas undoubtedly.
Defence lawyer Aminul Islam then started placing argument on behalf of Mirza Abbas and sought acquittal for him.
After completing arguments from both sides, the judge set November 30 for delivering its verdict in the case.
During the case proceedings, Mirza Abbas was produced in court from jail. Police on October 31 in 2023 arrested Mirza Abbas in a case filed under the Sabotage and Explosives Substances Act with the capital's Shahjahanpur Police Station. Later on November 2, he was shown arrested in the graft case filed in 2007.
The court framed charges against Mirza Abbas and his wife on June 16, 2008. Then the court recorded the statements of 24 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant in the graft case.
The ACC on August 16, 2007, filed the case with Ramna Police Station against Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas for amassing wealth worth over Tk 42.3 million beyond their known sources of income and concealing information in the wealth statement of Tk 2.2 million to the commission.
The ACC on May 24, 2008, pressed charges against Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas in the case. However, the High Court quashed the trial proceedings against Afroza Abbas following a writ petition filed against the order for framing charges against her.