HC verdict on ex-SC judge's bail plea deferred till July 23

The High Court today deferred till July 23 the delivery of its verdict on a bail petition filed by former apex court judge Justice Md Joynul Abedin in connection with a notice issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2010 seeking his bank statements.

Justice Joynul Abedin, a retired judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, had headed the one-man judicial enquiry into the August 21, 2004, grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Avenue. His probe report had found “foreign enemy link” with the attack.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam was scheduled for delivering the verdict on the bail petition filed by Joynul Abedin.

But, the judges deferred the date till July 23 for announcing the judgment following a time prayer moved by Joynul’s lawyer Barrister Mainul Hosein for placing some documents before the court.

Earlier on July 10 last year, the HC granted anticipatory bail to Joynul Abedin in connection with the ACC notice and also issued a rule asking the government and ACC to explain why Justice Joynul should not be granted regular bail in connection with the notice. 

The court had passed the order and issued rule following the bail petition filed by Joynul saying that he might be arrested when he will submit the bank statements.

Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik and ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that the HC has granted anticipatory bail to Justice Joynul Abedin although there is no specific case against him.

Joynul Abedin has not submitted any bank statement to the ACC, DAG Amin Uddin added.