Justice Fazlul Huq charged with graft

Justice Fazlul Huq leaves the High Court premises after attempting to move a bail petition yesterday.
Photo: STAR

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday pressed charges against former caretaker government adviser Justice Fazlul Huq for amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 89.81 lakh and concealing its information from the commission.
Earlier in the morning, Fazlul Huq sought to file a bail petition and secure bail from the High Court (HC) but failed as the HC bench concerned did not sit.
Huq then remained self-confined for more than three hours in a room at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
Curious about Huq's self-confinement, many commented that the justice stayed in the chamber room to avoid arrest knowing law enforcers would not arrest him on the Supreme Court (SC) premises.
Sources said Justice Fazlul Huq, also a former judge of the HC, went to the SC at 10:30am with a view to seeking bail from the HC. He could not file the bail petition since the HC bench concerned did not sit yesterday.
He stayed in a courtroom for more than one hour and entered the chamber room of his counsel barrister Rafique-ul Huq at 11:40am. He came out of the room at 2:50pm.
Barrister Rafique, who left his room at 1:10pm, told newsmen that he would move the bail petition on behalf of Fazlul Huq next week.
Justice Huq told the reporters that he would soon file a petition with the HC for bail in the case filed by the ACC.
"I was once a judge of the High Court. I have a number of friends and colleagues here and I often come to meet them. Today also I came here for the same purpose. I will face the charges against me in accordance with the law. You will know everything if I get bail in the case," he said.
Replying to a question, Justice Huq said he would be arrested if any arrest warrant is issued against him.
He, however, said he did not hear anything about pressing of charges against him as of 3:00pm yesterday.
Sources said Fazlul Huq has sworn an affidavit with the HC section concerned on September 1 for filing a bail petition in the case.
Justice Fazlul Huq gave rise to controversy by making a remark after he was appointed adviser to the law, land and forest ministries of the caretaker government led by President Iajuddin Ahmed.
When the Awami League said it would observe the advisers' activities to see if they are neutral, Justice Huq said, "Are we thieves that our activities have to be kept under watch?"
THE CHREGE SHHET
ACC Assistant Director and investigating officer of the case Mohammad Ibrahim submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka yesterday afternoon showing 38 people as prosecution witnesses.
Sources said this is the first time a justice has been charged with amassing wealth illegally and hiding wealth information.
The investigating officer prayed for issuance of arrest warrant against Fazlul Huq and orders to attach his properties as he has been absconding since the case was filed.
The charge sheet was submitted under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Power Rules 2007.
In the charge sheet, the investigating officer mentioned that Fazlul Huq amassed wealth worth Tk 89,81,201 through illegal means and concealed information of wealth worth Tk 90,97,514 from the ACC.
The ACC official also mentioned that Huq transacted Tk 12,99,26,912 to and from different bank accounts in the names of his son Dr Afzal Hossain Raj, son-in-law Tariqur Rahman Prince and Raj's friends Abdul Malek, Sujaul Hasan Sujan and Ataul Haque.
Fazlul Huq submitted his wealth statement to the ACC on November 26 last year and the anti-graft body filed the case against Huq on April 13 this year.
Earlier, Fazlul Huq was accused of taking Tk 1.25 crore in bribe while he was in charge of the forest, land and law ministries. He was also allegedly given Tk 80 lakh by a forest officer for transfer to a "better" place and stopping the transfer of another forest officer.
Sources said arrested chief forest conservator Osman Gani disclosed the information to law enforcement agencies.
Besides, Justice Huq allegedly took Tk 45 lakh from Bashundhara Group in exchange for helping it get lease of 84 acres of land.
The Detective Branch of police arrested three cheats last month on charges of taking Tk 24 lakh from Huq's family in return for getting Huq acquitted of corruption charges.