Corruption case: HC orders ex-BNP whip Shahidul to surrender

High Court (HC) today ordered BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser and former BNP whip Shahidul Huq Jamal to surrender to the trial court in seven days in connection with a corruption case.

The court also issued a rule asking Shahidul and the government to explain in four weeks why the lower court order that exempted him from the charges should not be scrapped.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam came up with the order and rule following a revision petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission challenging the lower court’s exemption order.

Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star that the ACC filed a case with Banaripara Police Station in Barishal on June 25, 2009 against Udoykathi Union Parishad’s Member Sukumar Bairagi on charge of misappropriating 10 metric tonnes of relief rice allocated for cyclone-hit people in 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Later on, the commission submitted a charge sheet to the lower court concerned on August 1, 2012 implicating Shahidul Huq Jamal and Sukumar Bairagi in the case.

The court of Barishal Divisional Special Judge on September 23 framed charges against Sukumar and exonerated Shahidul from the charges, DAG Manik added. 

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC.