High Court defers decision on Maya’s appeal in corruption case

The High Court has deferred its decision on the corruption case against Awami League leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, who had been sentenced to 13 years in prison by a special judge’s court.

Though the verdict was to be delivered on Sunday, a hearing was held after a petition by the defence. Lawyer Sayeed Ahmed Raja represented Maya at the hearing.

Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission, while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state at the hearing.

Amin Uddin Manik told bdnews24.com after the hearing that the High Court Bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam could issue the verdict on Monday.

The court had previously set Oct 7 as the day of the verdict on Aug 14.

On Jun 13, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC prosecuted Maya, now relief and disaster management minister, at Sutrapur Police Station accusing him of having untaxed assets worth Tk 62.92 million and keeping Tk 58.65 million in assets secret.

On Feb 14, 2008, during the rule of the caretaker government, a Dhaka special judge’s court sentenced him to 13 years in jail and fined him Tk 50 million.

The High Court acquitted him of the charges in 2010 after the Awami League returned to power.

On Jun 14, 2015, the Supreme Court scrapped the High Court verdict and ordered a rehearing of Maya’s appeal.

The appeal hearings ended on Aug 14 this year.