DHAKA / agencies
High Court in bangladesh today sentenced BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman to seven-year imprisonment and fined him Taka 20 crore, scraping his sentence of acquittal in a money laundering case. Tarique Rahman is son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia
The court overturned the trial court’s verdict of November 2013 that acquitted Tariqie, the main accused, of the charges but slapped a 7 years jail term on his friend Gias Uddin Mamun, the second accused.
“It is to be noted with regret that Md Tarique Rahman…had acted as a conscious part of the financial crime. He being the mighty political elite by virtue of his position obtained dirty money in the name of ‘consultation fee’ through his close cohort. The citizens of the country become the victims of such crimes,” the court said in its observation.
Pic: BSS
The court however, upheld the lower court sentence of seven-year imprisonment for Tarique’s friend and business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun, while commuting his fine of Taka 40 crore to Taka 20 crore.
According to the case document, ACC filed the case against Tarique and Mamun for taking more than Taka 20 crore as bribe and laundered it abroad.
Dhaka Third Special Judge Md Motahar Hossain on November 17, 2013, acquitted Tarique from the charges and sentenced Mamun to seven-year imprisonment and fined him Taka 40 crore.
ACC filed an appeal against Tarique’s acquittal on December 5, 2013. Mamun too filed an appeal against the lower court sentence.
Meanwhile, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq after the verdict said on getting certified copy of the full appeal verdict, home ministry will launch their act to arrest the fugitive and bring him back to the country.
“After this verdict, it has now been proved that the trial court order that acquitted Tarique was wrong. Tarique got his acquittal influencing the trial court judge. Two days after pronouncing the judgement, that judge fled the country with family for Malaysia and never returned. We already suspended that judge. Proceedings are going against him,” Anisul added.