Ex-CJ Khairul Haque shown arrested in ACC case

A court has shown arrested former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on charges of obtaining a 10-katha RAJUK plot instead of having a six-storey house in the capital by giving false information.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court, Md. Ibrahim Miah passed the order on Wednesday after hearing an ACC petition showing him arrested in the case.

The court, at the same time, rejected the bail petition of Khairul Haque filed by his lawyer and ordered him to be sent to jail.

Earlier on August 4 last, the ACC filed a case against eight people, including ABM Khairul Haque, under Sections 161/163/409/420/109 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The case statement states that former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque has a six-storey ancestral house on 18.5 kathas of land on Education Extension Road No. 2 (Nayem Road) in the capital.

But while he was in charge of the country's Chief Justice, he abused his power and obtained a 10 katha plot from RAJUK by submitting an affidavit in violation of Rule 13 of The Dhaka Improvement Trust (Allotment of Lands) Rules, 1969, by giving false information and resorting to fraud. 

According to the rules, the applications of those whose plot allocation will be cancelled cannot be reconsidered. 

But even after the allotment was cancelled, the plot was reinstated in his name. 

He violated RAJUK rules by not paying the instalments and interest within the stipulated time, and by depositing the money interest-free after five years. 

In this case, he committed a punishable crime by violating RAJUK's existing policies and taking special benefits and not paying interest of Tk 474,240, causing damage to the government and embezzling it.

Other accused in the case are - former RAJUK chairman, Engineer Md. Nurul Huda, member (Finance and Estate) AEM Golam Kibria, Md. Abu Bakkar Sikder, member (Planning), Md. Anwarul Islam Sikder, member (Estate), Akhtar Hossain Bhuiyan, former joint secretary and member (Development), M Mahbubul Alam and member (Administration and Land) Nazmul Hai.