Top court strikes down HC verdict acquitting Joynal Hazari, orders fresh hearing

The Supreme Court has scrapped the High Court verdict, which acquitted former Awami League MP Joynal Hazari in a case of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income.

It has also ordered for fresh High Court hearings in the case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

The four-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave the order on Monday while resolving a ‘leave-to-appeal’ plea by the ACC.

“The Appellate Division has cancelled the verdict acquitting Joynal Hazari. Fresh hearings have been ordered on his appeal against the trial court’s verdict in the High Court,” ACC’s lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told bdnews24.com.

During the caretaker regime in 2007, the ACC in a case accused the ex-lawmaker from Feni of acquiring wealth worth Tk 11.33 million, which were said to be disproportionate to his known income sources.

It also said that Hazari had a fixed deposit of Tk 10 million in a bank in his sister’s name.

In November 2008, a Dhaka court found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison with a fine of Tk 500,000.

The court had also ordered to confiscate wealth worth Tk 10 million from Hazari’s assets.

He had moved the High Court and in 2011, was acquitted of the charges.

The ACC then moved the Appellate Division and on Monday the High Court verdict was cancelled.