Khoka's Children

HC judgement stayed

Staff Correspondent
The Supreme Court yesterday stayed for six weeks a High Court judgment that upheld the Anti-corruption Commission's notice asking Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka's son and daughter to submit their wealth statements. Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice ABM Khairul Haque passed the order following two separate leave to appeal petitions filed by Khoka's son Ishrat Hossain Sadeque and his daughter Sarika Sadeque against the HC verdict. Justice Khairul also fixed October 8 for hearing the petitions at the regular bench of the apex court. Petitioners' lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon told The Daily Star the proceedings of the Anti-corruption Commission's cases filed against his clients would also remain stayed following the order of the chamber judge. The ACC on August 29 this year filed two separate cases with Ramna Police Station against Ishrat and Sarika for not submitting their wealth statements within the timeline specified by the commission. In November last year, the commission served the notices to submit their wealth statements. The defendants filed separate writ petitions with the HC challenging the legality of the ACC notices in the same month. The HC on April 5 this year rejected the petitions and declared the ACC notices valid.