Corruption Case against Haji Salim: HC to deliver verdict on appeal on Mar 9

Haji Mohammad Salim. File photo

The High Court will deliver its verdict on March 9 on the appeal filed by independent lawmaker and Awami League leader Haji Mohammad Salim, challenging the trial court verdict that sentenced him to 13 years' imprisonment in a corruption case. 

The HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq yesterday fixed the date, after concluding rehearing on the appeal.

During hearing, Haji Salim's lawyers Abdul Baset Majumder and Sayed Ahmed Raza told the HC that their client was not involved in any corruption, but the corruption case was filed against him in 2007 for political motives and to harass him.

The allegations brought against Salim could not be properly controverted during the trial proceedings of the case at the lower court, as there was no lawyer for him, they argued.

The lawyers prayed to the HC to allow his appeal and acquit him of the charges.

Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said the trial court had rightly convicted and sentenced Salim to imprisonment, after properly evaluating the evidence and documents and therefore, his appeal might be dismissed.

ACC filed the corruption case against Salim with Lalbagh Police Station on 24 October, 2007, on charge of amassing illegal assets.

The Special Judge's Court-7 of Dhaka convicted Salim and sentenced him to 13 years' imprisonment on April 27, 2008.

Salim filed an appeal with the HC on October 25, 2009 against the trial court verdict. Following the appeal, the HC on January 2, 2011 acquitted Salim of the corruption case.

Then, ACC appealed against the HC verdict to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The Appellate Division on January 12, 2015 scrapped the HC verdict and directed the HC to hold a rehearing of Salim's appeal and to dispose of the appeal again.