Justice Sinha will be probed for corruption, says Awami League MP Khasru

An investigation will open into the corruption allegations against Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, says ruling Awami League MP Abdul Matin Khasru.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at a reception by Bangladesh Women Judges Association at Dhaka’s Judicial Administration Training Institute on Saturday. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at a reception by Bangladesh Women Judges Association at Dhaka’s Judicial Administration Training Institute on Saturday.

His remarks came after the Supreme Court cited 11 charges, including graft, money laundering and moral lapse, against Justice Sinha on Saturday.

 

"Allegations with documented evidence have been found against the chief justice,” Khasru, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry, told the media in Comilla. He also signalled legal actions against Justice Sinha.

 

In July, two cabinet members raised corruption allegations against Sinha amid criticism of his verdict cancelling the 16th constitutional amendment.

 

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq told the parliament about irregularities over allotting a plot of land to Justice Sinha's brother. He also referred to a meeting between the chief justice and the family of executed war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

 

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury accused Justice Sinha of depositing a large amount of money into a proxy account with the Farmers Bank, owned by ruling party lawmaker MK Alamgir.

 

In a rare statement, the Supreme Court said on Saturday that President Md Abdul Hamid, at a meeting in the Bangabhaban on Sept 30, handed over documents on the 11 specific charges to the appellate judges.

 

"It includes serious allegations such as money laundering, financial misappropriation and moral lapse," the top court said.

 

Quoting the judges, it said that Justice Sinha could not come up with a plausible explanation on the allegations.

 

On Oct 3, Law Minister Anisul Huq told the media that Justice Sinha was going on leave for 'health reasons'.

  Before flying to Australia on Friday, the chief justice said he went on leave as he was ‘embarrassed’ by criticism from the ruling Awami League, dismissing reports of his illness.

 

Former law minister Khasru said on Saturday, "In his letter to the president, the chief justice sought leave for health reasons and then again he said he was fine. What should we believe -- a written document or the verbal one?"

 

Law Minister Anisul Huq's office said he will respond to Justice Sinha's remarks before the media on Sunday while the BNP says the chief justice was forced to take leave and fly abroad.