The High Court yesterday fixed March 16 for delivering verdict on the petitions filed by four accused, including BNP leader Tarique Rahman, for quashing the proceedings against them in the Tk 21 core bribery case.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on October 4, 2007 against Tarique, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and four others involving  the murder of Humayun Kabir Sabbir, a director of Bashundhara Group, in July 2006. In the case, allegations were brought against the accused of taking and accepting bribes to suppress the murder case.

In 2008, Tarique, Babar and two other accused Abu Sufian, director of East West Property Development Pvt Ltd, a sister concern of Bashundhara, and former lawmaker Qazi Saleemul Huq Kamal, filed four petitions with the HC for scrapping the proceedings.

After hearing yesterday, the HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Mahmudul Hoque fixed the date, ACC Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

Petitioners' lawyer Raghib Rauf Chowdhury said Tarique Rahman is now in London for treatment, Babar is in jail and Sufian and Saleemul are now on bail in the case.