DHAKA, March 9, 2021 (BSS) – The High Court (HC) today upheld a lower
court judgement that sentenced lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim to 10-year
imprisonment in a case lodged over amassing illegal wealth.
The court however, acquitted the lawmaker of the charge of concealing
information in his wealth statement, for which Selim was sentenced to three-
year imprisonment.
The High Court ordered the accused to surrender before the lower court
concerned within 30-day of getting the copy of the judgement. If Haji Selim
failed to surrender within the time, his bail will be canceled and arrest
warrant would be issued against him.
A High Court division virtual bench comprising Justice Md Moinul Islam
Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after holding hearing
on the matter. The court on February 24 set today to pronounce the judgement
as the hearing came to an end on that day.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission
(ACC), while senior advocate Abdul Baset Majumder and M Sayed Ahmed took part
in the hearing for Haji Selim. Assistant Attorney Generals Tamanna Ferdous
and Sathi Shahjahan stood for the state.
The trial court on April 27, 2008, convicted Haji Salim and sentenced
him to total 13 years’ imprisonment under two sections in the case, which was
filed by the ACC on October 24, 2007.
The accused appealed against the judgement with the High Court on
October 25, 2009. The High Court on January 2, 2011, acquitted him of the
corruption case, making the anti-graft body to appeal against the High Court
verdict.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on January 12, 2015,
scrapped the High Court verdict and ordered to hold the hearing afresh.