A High Court bench has given a split verdict on the writ petition challenging the legal basis of Awami League leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya continuing as a minister and MP after his petition for acquittal from corruption charges was quashed in court.
Published : 17 Aug 2015, 01:20 PM
Petitioner Yunus Ali Akhand, a Supreme Court lawyer, said the senior judge on the panel had issued a rule, but his junior opted to quash the petition.
The bench of justices Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Md Ashraful Kamal gave the order on Monday.
The petition will now go to the chief justice, who shall assign a new bench for its hearing.
Akhand filed the petition on July 7. On the next day, the bench of justices Farah Mahbub and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo asked for it to be taken to another bench.
On June 14, the Supreme Court quashed the 2010 High Court order acquitting Maya of graft charges in a case filed in 2008.
The charge against Maya was that he owned illegal property worth around Tk 3 million. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison, fined Tk 50 million and a special court also ordered confiscation of his property worth around Tk 60 million.
But the Supreme Court later ordered fresh hearings in the case after quashing the High Court’s judgement.
The verdict from the top appeals court evoked a fresh controversy over Maya’s continuing in office.
The BNP also demanded resignation of Maya, who has been tight-lipped on the issue.
After Maya did not step down, Akhand sent the minister a legal notice on June 30. He filed the petition after getting no response.