Retired Dhaka judge under ACC scanner
The Anti-Corruption Commission will inquire into the hasty acquittal and bail of dozens of accused by Faruk Ahmed, a recently retired Dhaka court judge, just months before he went into retirement.
The decision came after the law ministry yesterday asked the anti-graft body to take necessary action against Faruk.
Earlier on Sunday, the office of the chief justice instructed the law ministry to look into Faruk's alleged anomalies in granting bail and acquitting several dozens of accused.
As asked by the law ministry, the ACC will try to find out if the judge had gained any financial benefit in the process, ACC Commissioner Md Shahabudin told The Daily Star.
The manner in which Faruk Ahmed acquitted the accused was unusual, and the ACC feels he had scope to get financial benefits and he might have taken that advantage, Shahabudin added.
Justice SK Sinha, who had been discharging the functions of Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain in the latter's absence, on Sunday asked the law ministry to take action against Faruk.
Faruk, who retired as judge of the Public Safety Disturbance Crime Prevention Tribunal in Dhaka on June 26, acquitted dozens of accused in the last few months of his service.
Many of these accused were acquitted in violation of rules, a Supreme Court source said.
Faruk's court had reportedly finished recording statements from all witnesses, cross examinations of accused and arguments of 10 cases in a single day.
He disposed of 20 cases in four to 10 days after finishing the arguments and he concluded the cross examination of the accused even before recording witnesses' statements, which is contrary to the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Faruk granted bail to 45 accused, including drug peddlers, in June and acquitted the accused of 77 cases in six months. Besides, he granted bail to 101 accused between January and May this year.
Last year, he disposed of 79 cases and acquitted the accused of 60 cases and sentenced the accused of 19 cases, according to the report, according to a newspaper report.
Meanwhile, the ministry last week sent three lower court judges into forced retirement in line with a decision of the chief justice, ministry sources said.
The CJ decided to send them into forced retirement for misconduct and corruption while discharging duties.
They are Chairman of First Labour Court of Chittagong and former District and Sessions Judge of Dhaka AKM Ishtiaque Hossain, Additional District Judge of Jessore Mizanur Rahman, and Joint District Judge of Lalmonirhat Salauddin Mohammad Akram.
At present, the ACC is investigating former Dhaka court judge Motahar Hossain, who acquitted BNP Senior vice-chairperson Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case in November last year. Motahar is reportedly in Malaysia.
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