AKM Mosharraf asked to surrender before trial court

The High Court (HC) yesterday directed former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain to surrender before the trial court by November 9 to face the proceedings of Barapukuria Coalmine Corruption Case filed against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
After hearing a petition filed by Mosharraf, an HC bench comprising Justice Md Muzammel Hossain and Justice Afzal Hossain Ahmed also asked the government not to harass or arrest him during the period.
The HC bench also continued hearing on the petitions filed by former ministers M Saifur Rahman, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid for quashing the proceedings against them in the same case. The bench adjourned the hearing until today.
M Saifur Rahman, Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid and AKM Mosharraf Hossain, who also sought bail in this case, were present at the bench yesterday.
Mojahid was due to surrender before the Special Court-2 on November 2 as per directive of the High Court.
During the hearing at the special court yesterday, prosecution lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal told the court that Mojahid did not comply with the directive of the High Court.
Abdur Razzaq, counsel for Mojahid, told the court that his client did not appear before the court as his appeal for quashing the proceedings of the case is pending with the High Court.
In reply, the prosecution lawyer said the defence lawyers did not submit any petition seeking time extension for appearance of Mojahid.
Kajal also urged the court to issue arrest warrants against Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid and former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, also an accused in the case, as they did not comply with the high court directives.
The defence lawyer urged the court not to issue arrest warrant against Mojahid as hearing on his appeal was going in the HC.
After hearing, Judge Amar Kumar Roy of the Special Court-2, adjourned the day's hearing as the matter is pending with the High Court.
Following a petition filed by Mojahid, an HC bench on October 19 ordered him to surrender within two weeks before the trial court that had earlier issued an arrest warrant against him in this case.
The HC had also directed the government not to harass or arrest Mojahid during the period.
On October 7, another HC bench asked Saifur to appear before the trial court within four weeks. The court also directed the government not to harass or arrest him during this period.