HC upholds ten years of jail for Haji Salim

The High Court (HC), Tuesday, upheld ten years of imprisonment for Dhaka-7 lawmaker Haji Md Salim in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) nearly 14 years ago.

The HC also fined the Old Dhaka lawmaker Tk10 lakh, or one more year jail in default. The court ordered the authorities concerned to seize the lawmaker's moveable and immoveable properties that were accumulated illegally.      

The HC, however, acquitted Haji Salim of the charge of concealing information on his wealth in which he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

The Old Dhaka Awami League leader has been asked to surrender before a Dhaka judicial court within 30 days of receiving a copy of the verdict. The HC ordered the cancellation of his bail and the issuance of an arrest order if he does not surrender within the time.

In the verdict, the virtual bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque said Haji Salim will be able to move to the Appellate Division after surrendering to the judicial court.

In 2007, the ACC filed a case against Haji Salim with Lalbagh Police Station for accumulating wealth illegally. On 27 April, 2008, Dhaka Special Judge's Court 7 sentenced Haji Selim to 13 years of imprisonment and fined him Tk20 lakh in the case.

Challenging the verdict, the lawmaker from the ruling Awami League then appealed with the HC. On 2 January, 2011, the HC quashed Haji Salim's sentence.

But, the ACC appealed with the Appellate Division, challenging the HC verdict.

Following the hearing of the ACC appeal, the Appellate Division quashed the HC judgment on 12 January, 2015. Further, the Appellate Division asked the HC to re-hear Haji Salim's appeal. The lawmaker had been on bail in the case.

Despite the Appellate Division's order, no initiative was taken to re-hear the appeal for a long time.

Haji Salim's son Irfan Salim was arrested last year for allegedly assaulting a navy official. Subsequently, several media reports raised questions over the ACC's role in Haji Salim's case.

On 31 January, the appeal hearing against Haji Salim's 13-year jail term began. After the hearing, the HC, on 24 February, set 9 March for the verdict. 

Senior lawyers Abdul Baset Majumder and Sayed Ahmed Raza appeared for Haji Salim while Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC.

Questions arise about Salim's MP post 

Referring to Article 67 of the constitution, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said Haji Salim will lose his member of the parliament post as the HC upheld 10-year imprisonment to him.  

He said the ACC will send the full verdict to the speaker as soon as it is published. Then the speaker will decide on the cancellation of his MP post.

However, Haji Salim's lawyer Sayed Ahmed Raza said the ACC's remark on MP post cancelation is absolutely wrong.

"He [the ACC lawyer] assumed we would not appeal. But we will surrender and appeal as directed by the HC. There is no question of vacating the post while the appeal is pending. Validity of the post will completely depend on the final verdict of the Appellate Division," added the lawyer.