HC upholds sentences of BNP leaders Tuku, Aman

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday upheld a lower court judgement that sentenced BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku to 9-year imprisonment, and a special court judgement that sentenced BNP Dhaka North City Convener Amanullah Aman to 13-year imprisonment.

A High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the orders. The two BNP leaders were also ordered to surrender by the High Court.

Former State Minister to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Tuku was sued by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2007 for illegally amassing wealth worth Tk 2.57 crore and concealing information in his wealth statement.

Tuku was handed 9-year imprisonment in that case. However, he appealed against the lower court verdict in June 2011, following which the HC acquitted him of the graft charges.

However, after ACC appealed against the acquittal, the Appellate Division of the SC cancelled the HC verdict and directed to hold a fresh hearing. Tuku filed for a review, which the Appellate Division also cancelled.

On the other hand, a special court on June 21, 2007 sentenced Aman to 13-year imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information in his wealth statement. His wife Sabera was also sentenced to 3-year imprisonment by the same court.

Following an appeal filed by the couple, the HC in 2010 acquitted them. ACC appealed against the acquittal, following which the Appellate Division cancelled the acquittal and ordered a fresh heading in 2014.