Asif’s ACC writ dropped from HC cause list

The High Court on Tuesday dropped from its daily cause list a writ petition filed by former interim government adviser and National Citizen Party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain challenging the legality of Anti-Corruption Commission briefings on corruption allegations against him.

The bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice SK Tahsin Ali passed the order after taking up the petition for preliminary hearing.

Asif’s lawyer, Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa, told reporters that several cases were dropped from the cause list as Tuesday was the last working day of the vacation bench. He said the petition had not been dismissed and would be placed before a new bench once the regular court resumes.

Asif filed the writ on Monday, challenging the ACC’s public statement that it had found “initial truth” in allegations involving transfers, appointments and promotions. The petition argued that such a conclusion could only follow an inquiry and questioned the commission’s authority to make the statement at the start of an investigation.

The petition sought a declaration that ACC press briefings held on 2 and 13 September were unlawful and beyond the commission’s legal authority. It also sought directions preventing the ACC from publicly commenting on matters under investigation or pending before courts in a way the petitioner described as defamatory.

Asif also asked the court to direct the ACC to formally withdraw earlier statements with similar prominence.

The ACC chairman, its deputy director responsible for public relations and an assistant director of public relations were named as respondents.

According to the petition, an ACC official said on 2 September that the commission had decided to investigate allegations involving Asif and several others after finding “initial truth” in claims of irregularities in transfers, recruitment and promotions.

The petition states that the ACC secretary later described the wording as a “slip of the tongue”, while the official concerned also acknowledged that it had been an inadvertent error. It argues, however, that no formal public withdrawal followed.

Asif sent a legal notice to the ACC on 10 September. The commission later held another briefing on 13 September, when it disclosed broader allegations involving corruption, bribery and money laundering. The ACC has said it is not targeting Asif and that its inquiry is proceeding independently.

In the writ, Asif denied the allegations and argued that some of the events cited by the ACC occurred after he had left the interim government.

He also alleged that the briefings were politically motivated and amounted to a “media trial” intended to damage his public and political standing.

These are claims made in his petition and have not been established by the court. The petition further argued that the briefings violated his rights under Article 31 of the Constitution and were inconsistent with the Information Disclosure Policy, 2011.