The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a High Court verdict that sentenced BNP's acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to seven years' imprisonment in a money-laundering case.
The apex court also stayed the lower court judgement that sentenced businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun to seven years' imprisonment in the case.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order following a leave to appeal petition filed by Mamun challenging the HC verdict.
The apex court also allowed Mamun to move an appeal before this court against the HC judgement.
A trial court in Dhaka in its verdict announced in 2013 acquitted Tarique Rahman from the money laundering charge and jailed Gias Uddin Al Mamun for seven years and fined him Tk 400 million.
However, a High Court bench on July 21, 2016, also sentenced Tarique Rahman to seven years' imprisonment and fined him Tk 200 million in the case.
Later Gias Uddin Al Mamun filed a petition challenging the HC verdict.
Barrister Kayser Kamal appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Tarique Rahman, Advocate Zakir Hossain Bhuyain appeared for Gias Uddin Al Mamun, while lawyer Assif Hassan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Lawyer Zakir Hossain said, "Considering the leave to appeal petition filed by Gias Uddin Al Mamun the apex court has stayed the verdict of the High Court. Tarique Rahman will also get the benefit of the apex court decision."
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with the Cantonment Police Station in Dhaka on October 26 in 2009 on charge of laundering Tk 204.1 million.
The ACC submitted a charge sheet on July 6 in 2010 against Tarique Rahman and Gias Uddin Al Mamun.
On November 17 in 2013 a Dhaka Court acquitted Tarique Rahman from the money laundering charge and jailed Gias Uddin Al Mamun for seven years and fined him Tk 400 million.
Tarique was arrested in an anti-corruption crackdown in 2007 and was released on bail on September 3 the following year. He flew to the UK on September 11 for treatment and has been staying in London since then.
Gias Uddin Al Mamun was arrested on January 30 in 2007. However, he was released on bail on August 6 this year after the fall of Sheikh Hasina. Then he filed a leave to appeal petition against the HC verdict.
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