HC allows ACC to place arguments

The High Court yesterday permitted the Anti-Corruption Commission to contest its seven-year old rule on a graft case against Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Senior Vice-Chiarman Tarique Rahman.

On September 26, 2007, the ACC filed the case against Tarique, Zubaida and her mother Iqbal Mand Banu for amassing assets through illegal means and concealing information in their wealth statements.

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According to the charge sheet, Tarique accumulated wealth worth around Tk 2.75 crore beyond his known income sources and hid information about assets worth around Tk 2.17 crore in his statement. Zubaida and her mother were accused of aiding and abetting Tarique.

Yesterday, the HC allowed the ACC to become a party in the rule, issued on April 8, 2008, asking the government to explain why the case proceedings against Zubaida, a doctor, should not be scrapped.

Following a petition filed by Zubaida, now in London along with Traique, the HC on that day also stayed the case proceedings. 

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said the ACC can now place arguments in Zubaida's case. "We will pray to the High Court to start the hearing next week", he said, adding that the case proceedings against Tarique and his mother-in-law also had been halted following the 2008 HC order.