BNP leaders Tuku, Mir Nasiruddin and Helaluddin acquitted in graft cases
NN ONLINE:
The Supreme Court today acquitted BNP leaders Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin and Mir Mohammad Helaluddin of charges in separate graft cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
A six-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the orders accepting criminal appeals and cancelling the High Court (HC) sentences against the convicts.
Senior Advocates Zainul Abedin, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Ragib Rouf Chowdhury argued for the defence while Advocate Shahin Ahmed represented the ACC.
The ACC filed a case on March 6, 2007, against former state minister and BNP vice-chairman Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin and his son, assistant organising secretary of the party, Mir Mohammad Helaluddin with the Gulshan Police Station alleging illegal wealth accumulation and concealment of property information.
A special judge court on July 4, 2007, sentenced Nasiruddin and Helaluddin to 13 years and three years in jail respectively.
Later, the HC cancelled the verdicts on separate appeals, prompting the ACC to appeal. After a fresh hearing, the HC upheld the lower court judgment, following which the father-son duo filed a leave-to-appeal petition. The apex court allowed their petition on March 17, 2025.
Meanwhile, in March 2007, ACC Deputy Director Shahriar Chowdhury filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station against former State Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, alleging concealment of assets worth Taka 4.96 crore and their sources of income. On November 15, 2007, the trial court sentenced Tuku to nine years in prison.
Challenging the verdict, Tuku appealed to the High Court, which acquitted him on June 15, 2011. When the ACC appealed, the Appellate Division on January 21, 2014, set aside the acquittal and ordered a retrial. Tuku filed a review petition, which was later rejected by the Appellate Division.
On July 26, 2023, the High Court directed Tuku to surrender within 15 days of receiving the verdict. As he failed to surrender by September 11 that year, a warrant for his arrest was issued.