ACC probe against ex-judge, who acquitted BNP’s Tarique, goes nowhere

There is no headway in the investigation into the allegations of corruption against judge Motahar Hossain, who left the country after acquitting BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in a money-laundering case.

The investigation started two years ago, but the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is yet to come up with findings.

ACC Secretary Abu Md Mostafa Kamal says the investigation is still ‘ongoing’.

Motahar went to Malaysia and stayed there for some days after issuing the verdict on the case against Tarique.

The ACC officials do not have any information on his current whereabouts.

On Nov 17, 2013, the court of Dhaka’s Third Special Judge Motahar Hossain acquitted Tarique, the elder son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, of charges of siphoning off Tk 204.1 million, taken as bribe, to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

As Motahar secretly left the country immediately after issuing the verdict before his retirement, many suspected foul play. 

The High Court on Jul 21 this year overturned the verdict and sentenced Tarique to seven years in jail and slapped a Tk 200 million fine on him.

Motahar had sentenced Tarique’s close business associate Giasuddin-Al-Mamun to seven years in prison and fined Tk 400 million.

The High Court upheld Mamun’s jail term but commuted his financial penalty to Tk 200 million.

After the High Court verdict was issued, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the BNP leader Tarique, now staying in London, managed acquittal by influencing the trial court judge.

After Motahar had issued the verdict, several media reported that the judge had taken ‘a huge amount of bribe’. The ACC then started looking into his assets in January 2014.

In the initial inquiry, it found that he has a house in the capital’s Adabor, a plot in Bashundhara Residential Area, and 50 bigha (1 bigha = 33 decimal) land in Natore’s Bagatiparha.

Among his assets abroad are a house in Malaysia and money in accounts in several banks in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the UK.

The ACC sent letters abroad to know about his assets in mid-2015.

An ACC official told bdnews24.com that Bangladesh Police had sent a letter through its National Central Bureau to Interpol first. Interpol then forwarded the letter to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the UK.

A letter to know about his money stashed away in banks was also sent to Switzerland’s Financial Intelligence Unit, the official said.

He also said a Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) was sent to the Malaysian government recently through the attorney general.

According to ACC rules, an allegation is first taken into consideration for initial investigation. A case is initiated if enough incriminating evidence is found. Then the chargesheet of the case is submitted to the court after final investigation.

The initial investigation against Motahar was launched two years ago but no case has been filed yet.

An ACC official told bdnews24.com that the agency is yet to get responses to the letters sent abroad seeking information on Motahar.

“That’s why investigation is going slowly. It will gain momentum once we get the replies,” he added.

The ACC officials, all of whom requested anonymity, could not say when their letters will be answered.

ACC Secretary Mostafa Kamal on Monday said, “We don’t have any mentionable information until now.

“But the investigation is under way. You will know once something significant happens,” he said.