‘Nothing can be more shameful for ACC’
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan yesterday told the High Court that Khandaker Enamul Basir, a suspended director of the ACC, has completely ruined the image of the commission by taking Tk 40 lakh as bribe from suspended deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Mizanur Rahman.
Nothing can be more shameful for the Anti-Corruption Commission, he said, adding that similarly, Mizanur Rahman has tarnished the reputation of the police department by giving the bribe to Basir in order to be cleared of a corruption case.
The ACC lawyer made the remarks while placing arguments before the HC during hearing of a petition filed by Basir seeking bail in a case filed against him over the transaction of Tk 40 lakh.
After holding the hearing, the HC bench of Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin refused to grant bail to Basir in the case, and returned the bail petition to his lawyers.
Khurshid opposed the bail petition, saying Basir has committed a grave offence by taking bribe from Mizanur, and he cannot be granted bail in the case.
Meanwhile, Basir’s lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal prayed to the HC to grant bail to his client, saying the first information report (FIR) of the case was lodged against him containing allegations reportedly made by suspended DIG Mizanur Rahman.
Mizanur made the allegation to jeopardise Basir, he said, adding that Basir is suffering from different health complications, including diabetes and high blood pressure. The ACC lawyer told The Daily Star that Basir cannot get released from jail following the HC order.
Basir’s lawyer Barrister Kazal meanwhile told this correspondent that he did not know whether his client would move the bail petition before another HC bench.
On July 16, ACC Director Sheikh Md Fanafillah filed the case against Basir with the ACC’s Dhaka District Coordination Office-1 under the anti-money laundering act, on charges of taking Tk 40 lakh in bribe from suspended DIG Mizanur Rahman.
On July 1, the HC handed Mizanur to police, after he appeared before it and sought bail in the corruption case.
Basir submitted the bail petition to the HC on September 1 through his lawyer Advocate Jamal Hossain, claiming he is innocent and has become a “victim of circumstances”.
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