Top court upholds conviction of former MP Iqbal's wife, children for corruption

The convictions of Former Awami League MP HBM Iqbal's wife and children have been upheld by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 27 Nov 2016, 08:51 AM
Updated : 27 Nov 2016, 08:54 AM

The top court has scrapped a rule issued by the High Court, which had ordered a stay on the conviction in a case of concealment of assets.

On Sunday, the four-member appeal bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave the order after hearing a petition by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

The order means that the trial court's verdict remains valid and there are no obstacles to arrest the family members of the former lawmaker from Dhaka, said the ACC's counsel.

Iqbal is the chairman of Premier Bank. His son Imran Iqbal is a director of the bank. The other son Moin Iqbal and daughter Naurin Iqbal had also served as directors.

During the military-installed caretaker regime in 2007, the ACC prosecuted Iqbal and his family for concealment of assets and acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income.

In March 2008, a Dhaka court found Iqbal, his wife, two sons and daughter guilty. The former MP was given 13 years in prison and fined Tk 5 million.

The others were sentenced each to three years in jail.

The same year the High Court stayed the verdict and issued a rule asking why it will not be scrapped.

After the Awami League came took office in 2009, several cases filed during the emergency regime were dropped.

In 2011, the High Court acquitted Iqbal after he filed a petition.

The ACC moved against the acquittal, but in 2015 it told the court they do not want to proceed with the matter.

Recently the ACC moved with its appeal against the stay on the conviction of Iqbal's family.