Pass order on charge framing of Destiny’s graft, HC to lower court

The High Court today directed the lower court concerned to pass an order on August 24 on charge framing of two money laundering cases against Destiny Group officials.

The court also asked Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka Kamrul Hasan Mollah to submit a report after complying with its order to this court on August 31.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order after examining an explanation given by judge Kamrul on August 11 about his failure to finish the charge framing of the cases filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

The HC judges expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation, as Kamrul said that his court could not finish the charge framing of the cases as he had to hear and dispose of many other cases and had to remain busy with some administrative functions, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

On July 27, the bench directed Judge Kamrul to explain by August 11 why he failed to finish the charge framing of a money laundering case against Destiny Group officials, as it on February 2 ordered him to finish the charge framing within a month and conclude trial proceedings of the case in one year.

The copy of the HC order reached to Judge Kamrul on March 15, but he is yet to complete charge framing of the case, the ACC lawyer said.

The ACC filed the cases with Kalabagan Police Station on July 31, 2012 against 22 top officials of Destiny Group including its Managing Director Mohammad Rafiqul Amin for laundering Tk 3,285.26 crore by cheating investors.

Following a bail petition filed by of Destiny Group Director Lt Col (retd) Didarul Alam, the HC on February 2 ordered the metropolitan sessions judge of Dhaka to finish the charge framing within a month and conclude trial proceedings of a case.