Tarique gets bail in all 13 cases

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The Supreme Court (SC) Thursday granted Tarique Rahman eight-week bail in the Bashundhara bribery case, the last of the 13 cases he faces, on health grounds, removing the last barrier to his release from detention, his lawyer said, report UNB and bdnews24.com.

Earlier, the BNP senior joint secretary general secured bail in 12 cases, including embezzlement of funds in Zia Orphanage Trust case and four extortion cases.

The High Court (HC) Wednesday granted Tarique bail in five cases including three extortion cases, a tax-dodge case and a case on charges of accumulating illegal assets. The case involving the directorship of the Daily Dinkal has been disposed of earlier.

The Supreme Court's Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin passed the orders on an appeal filed against the earlier bail rejection orders by High Court bench of justices Sharifuddin Chaklader and Imdadul Haque Azad.

There is now no barrier to his release, as the last legal hurdle has been removed with the ruling, Tarique's lawyer Barrister Rafique-ul-Huq said.

Tarique, the eldest son of detained ex-PM and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, was arrested on March 7 last year in connection with a number of corruption cases. He is now undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University prison cell.

Meanwhile, a High Court bench Thursday granted Tarique's mother Khaleda Zia four months' bail in the Barapukuria coalmine case.

The HC bench of justices Sharifuddin Chaklader and Imdadul Haque Azad also asked the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to explain in six weeks why the case should not be quashed. Barrister Rafique-ul-Huq stood for Khaleda in the hearing.

ACC assistant director MD Shamsul Haque filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station against 16 people including Khaleda Zia and 10 ministers on Feb 26. They are accused of causing the state losses of Tk 1.58 billion through misuse of power.

The same bench has granted bail to former ministers Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar and Motiur Rahman Nizami in the same case.

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her son and political heir Tarique Rahman are now virtually on the threshold of winning freedom.

Tarique has won bail in all 13 graft cases filed against him after his arrest following the 1/11 changeover.

His mother Khaleda won bail in the Zia Orphanage Fund Embezzlement case Wednesday and in Barapukuria Coalmine graft case Thursday. The High Court had earlier stayed Niko and GATCO graft cases against her.

Tarique