HC clears way for trial proceedings against Moudud

The High Court yesterday cleared the way for the lower court concerned to continue trial proceedings of a corruption case against former law minister Moudud Ahmed.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Gulshan Police Station on September 16, 2007 against Moudud on charges of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 7.38 crore and concealing information about his wealth worth Tk 4.40 crore.

Yesterday, the HC summarily rejected a revision petition filed by Moudud challenging a lower court order that dismissed his application for halting the trial proceedings.

In the revision petition, Moudud also prayed to the HC to stay the trial proceedings.

The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman passed the rejection order after holding hearing on the review petition.

ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that there is no legal bar for the lower court concerned to continue trial proceedings of the corruption case against Moudud following the HC order.

Modud Ahmed had submitted the application to the lower court concerned for stopping the trial proceedings, saying that some writ petitions involving his income tax are pending with the HC and the trial proceedings should be stopped until the writ  petitions are disposed of, the ACC lawyer said.

He also said Modud has moved several petitions before the HC and Appellate Division challenging the proceedings of the corruption case.

Barrister Moudud Ahmed told this correspondent that his income is Tk 27 crore but his assets' cost is Tk 13 crore, according to assessment of the income tax authority. But ACC filed the case against him on false allegation, he said.

Moudud also said he will move an appeal before the Appellate Division challenging the HC order.