A Dhaka court today acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and six others in a bribery case involving Tk 21 crore.
The six others are Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam; his two sons Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir and Sadaat Sobhan; and Tarique's personal secretary Mia Nur Uddin Apu; former BNP lawmaker Qazi Saleemul Huq Kamal alias Econo Kamal; and Abu Sufian, director of Bashundhara Group concern East-West Property Development Ltd.
Judge Mohammad Abu Taher of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-3 passed the order in presence of two accused --Saleemul Huq and Abu Sufian -- at the courtroom.
Tarique was a fugitive accused in the case while Babar and Apu were absent today by submitting time petitions through their lawyers.
However, lawyers of Shah Alam and his two sons were present on behalf of them at the court.
In the judgment today, the judge said the prosecution failed to prove the charges brought against the accused and so they were acquitted from the case.
The judge also observed that the prosecution had utterly failed to prove (time or the date of occurrence) the bribery allegations against the accused.
Earlier on October 4, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Assistant Director Abul Kashem filed the bribery case accusing six persons including Babar.
The bribery case was also filed to cover up the murder of Bashundhara Group Director Humayun Kabir Sabbir and to save Bashundhara Group Chairman Sobhan's two sons from the charge of the murder case.
However, Tarique and Saleemul Huq were later included in the case as investigators found their involvement in the bribery.
Sobhan and his two sons, Sanvir and Sadaat, and Tarique's personal secretary Mia Nur Uddin Apu are the other charge-sheeted accused.
The ACC said the eight were involved in receiving and giving the bribe to ensure that Sanvir did not face charges for killing Humayun Kabir Sabbir whose body was found outside a building in Bashundhara residential area on July 5, 2006.
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