Court turns down BNP leader Amir Khosru’s petition against graft watchdog’s summons

The High Court has rejected a writ petition filed by BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury challenging the summons notice by the Anti-Corruption Commission over allegations of money laundering and undeclared assets.

Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam issued the order on Sunday.

In line with the High Court order, Amir Khosru will have to appear before the commission, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said.

“According to the latest order, the notice of the commission is legal,” Khan told bdnews24.com.

Lawyer Moudud Ahmed represented Khosru in court, while lawyer Abdullah Al Mahmud has accompanied him.

The ACC summoned Khosru, a senior BNP leader, to appear before the ACC headquarters on Aug 28, according to a notice signed by ACC Director Kazi Shafiqul Alam.

The ACC sent the letter after receiving complaints that the former commerce minister made bank transactions worth ‘tens of millions of taka’ and laundered money abroad by opening a five-star hotel business with a different name, commission officials said.

The BNP Standing Committee member from Chattogram also allegedly amassed wealth from unknown sources and bought shares by using names of his wife and other members of the family, the officials said.

Khosru sought a month after the summons notice of ACC. The commission granted the time and asked him to appear on Sep 10. But the BNP leader took the issue to the High Court on Sep 3.