Money laundering: Verdict on Tarique’s acquittal any day

BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman. Star file photo

The High Court will deliver a verdict any day on the appeal filed against a lower court judgment that acquitted BNP leader Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case.

It will also fix the date for giving judgment on another appeal filed by Tarique's friend and business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun against the trial court verdict that has sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment in the same case.

After concluding hearing on the appeals today, the bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain kept them waiting for announcing the verdict any day, Anti Corruption Commission lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

The anti-graft watchdog filed the case against Tarique and Mamun in October 2009 for siphoning off the money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

On November 17, 2013, a Dhaka court acquitted Tarique and sentenced Mamun to seven years' imprisonment and fined him Tk 40 crore in the case.

Later, the ACC appealed to the HC, challenging Tarique's acquittal and the HC on January 19, 2014 ordered Tarique to surrender before the trial court. But, he did not surrender.

The money laundering case is one of the 16 cases, including the August 21 grenade attack cases, filed against Tarique. He was arrested on March 7, 2007 during a crackdown by a military-backed caretaker government.

On parole, Tarique went to London in September, 2008 for treatment and has been living there since then. Mamun is now in jail.