Graft trial of Afzal Hossain to continue

The High Court today cleared the way for a lower court to resume the trial proceedings of a corruption case filed against Dr Afzal Hossain Raj, son of former caretaker government adviser Justice Fazlul Huq.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Afzal with Ramna Police Station on September 14, 2008 on charge of collecting Tk 10.61 crore through taking bribes in return for transfer of the government employees with the help of his father when he was in-charge of land, forest and law affairs ministry.

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The HC lifted the stay order issued by it on August 9, 2009 on the trial proceedings of the case.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam came up with the order after rejecting a petition filed by Afzal for scrapping the case trial proceedings against him.

There is no legal bar for the Dhaka court to resume the trial proceedings of the case against Dr Afzal Hossain following the HC verdict, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star.

He also said Afzal is now on bail in the case.

Following the petition of Afzal, the HC on August 9, 2009 stayed the trial proceedings of the case and issued a rule asking the ACC and government to show causes why the proceedings should not be scrapped.

The case is now pending with Special Judge Court-1 of Dhaka, DAG Manik added. 

Barrister Hassan MS Azim argued for the ACC while Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali appeared for Afzal.