HC clears way for ACC to quiz DAG Rupa over graft allegation

The High Court has cleared the way for the Anti-Corruption Commission to question Deputy Attorney General Jannatul Ferdousi Rupa in connection with the allegation of corruption against her.

The HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq today summarily rejected a writ petition that challenged the legality of a notice issued by the ACC asking DAG Rupa to appear before its office for her statement on the allegation against her of amassing illegal wealth.  

The court ordered DAG Rupa to appear before the head office of ACC in Dhaka on or before January 27 to place her statement.

The HC bench passed the order after a hearing on the writ petition.

ACC's lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that the HC rejected the writ petition of DAG Rupa saying that ACC has jurisdiction to serve notice asking a person to appear before its office as part of its inquiry into corruption allegations.

There is no legal bar for the ACC to question DAG Rupa following the HC order, he added.

Rupa's lawyer ZI Khan Panna told The Daily Star that his client will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the HC's rejection order.

On November 1, DAG Rupa filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the ACC notice which on October 29 asked her to appear before it on November 4 to place statement about the alleged accumulation of wealth beyond her known sources of income.

According to the ACC letter, DAG Rupa has been charged with irregularities, corruption, abuse of power and bribery through forgery and collusion with different accused persons, including GK Shamim, thereby acquiring illicit wealth.