Hearing on Dr Yunus' petition against indictment set for 2 September

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on a leave to appeal a petition challenging a High Court order that upheld the indictment of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and six other Grameen Telecom officials in a corruption case and set 2 September for the next hearing.

The case involves the alleged misappropriation of nearly Tk25 crore in dividends meant for the workers and employees of Grameen Telecom.

The decision was announced today (29 August) after a partial hearing before the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.

Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun represented Yunus in court, while Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman appeared for the state, and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer AKM Fazlul Haque represented the anti-graft body.

Mamun argued that the case against Yunus and 13 others was withdrawn by the ACC on 11 August under Section 494 of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, the attorney general countered that the withdrawal was through the misuse of power after Dr Yunus became the chief adviser of the interim government.

"He [the chief adviser] doesn't want this case to be withdrawn improperly; he wants to do it lawfully," the attorney general stated.

The ACC lawyer also expressed concern that the application to withdraw the case was not filed according to the law. At this point, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed expressed surprise, questioning, "Is this judicial anarchy?"

The chief justice further requested a copy of the High Court order from 24 July, which had ruled that the corruption case against Dr Yunus would proceed. Since the copy was not provided, the court set the next hearing date for Monday.

Earlier, on 24 July, the High Court rejected Dr Yunus' petition challenging the legality of the charges framed in the Grameen Telecom case and instructed the lower court to dispose of the case within a year.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadat Hossain issued the order.

Following this, Dr Yunus appealed to the Appellate Division against the High Court's decision.

Previously, on June 12, charges were filed against Dr Yunus and 13 others in the case involving the misappropriation of dividends intended for the workers and employees of Grameen Telecom.

Dr Yunus initially challenged the framing of charges in the High Court, seeking to have the order rejected.