Mosaddek Ali Falu acquitted in graft case

A Dhaka court today acquitted former BNP lawmaker Mosaddek Ali Falu in a case filed on charges of illegally acquiring wealth worth about Tk 14.95 crore and for concealing information about his property worth Tk 4.57 crore.

Judge Rezaul Karim of Special Judge Court-10 of Dhaka handed down the verdict in the presence of Falu, also the former personal secretary of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

In the judgment, the judge said the prosecution failed to prove the charges brought against Falu, now on bail, and he was acquitted of the charges.

Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments, and the court recorded statements of 12 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant in the case.

On July 8, 2008, the case was filed against Falu and his wife, Mahbuba Sultana, with Motijheel Police Station.

ACC Assistant Director Md Jahangir Alam, also the investigation officer in the case, pressed charges against the couple on February 14, 2008.

Later, the High Court quashed the trial proceedings of the case on January 19, 2012, following a writ petition filed by the couple.

The court also declared that the notice issued by the anti-graft body asking Falu, also the chairman of NTV, to submit his wealth statement was illegal, as it was sent to the accused when he was in jail in 2007.

Around three years into the HC order, the Supreme Court on August 27, 2015, cleared the way for the lower court to run the trial proceedings against Falu in the corruption case.

The SC, however, quashed the trial proceedings against Falu's wife.

Following the SC order, the trial court, on August 27, 2018, framed charges against Falu in absentia.

Earlier on April 13, another Dhaka court acquitted Falu from a case filed on charges of acquiring wealth of Tk 17.86 crore beyond known sources of income and concealing information of Tk 35.78 crore to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

On November 14 last year, another Dhaka court discharged Falu, along with two others, from a case involving the alleged siphoning of Tk 183.92 crore to Dubai.