ACC appeals against HC stay, bail orders

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed an appeal with the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday against the High Court (HC) order granting bail to Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka in a corruption case and staying trial proceedings against him.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice MA Matin, after hearing ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan's appeal move, sent the matter to the full bench of the apex court for hearing on July 24.
Barrister Rafique-ul Huq appeared for Khoka.
Following the filing of a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad on July 7 granted Khoka ad-interim anticipatory bail.
The bench also stayed trial proceedings against him until July 16 and issued a rule upon the government and the ACC to explain by this time as to why the proceedings of the case should not be quashed.
The HC also fixed July 16 for further hearing of the writ petition.
Meanwhile, Khoka yesterday furnished bail bond with a Dhaka court as he was granted bail in the case.
Khoka along with his lawyers appeared before the Court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque around 10:00am and gave a bond of Tk 20,000 along with two guarantors.
The ACC on April 2 this year filed the case against him in connection with amassing wealth worth Tk 9.76 crore illegally and giving false wealth information to the commission.
On July 1, ACC Assistant Director Shamsul Alam, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Khoka before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court showing 45 people as prosecution witnesses.
The ACC could not submit any probe report in the case as the HC earlier stayed the proceedings of the case against Khoka's wife Ishmat Ara.
The IO prayed for discharging Khoka's son Ishrak Hossain and daughter Sarika Sadeque as the charges brought against them were not proved.
Following the filing of the charge sheet, the sessions court on July 7 accepted it and issued an arrest warrant against Khoka as he was shown fugitive in the case.