The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the proceedings of a money-laundering case against seven accused, including interim government's Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus.
The apex court also set aside a High Court ruling that upheld the indictment of them allowed by a special court in Dhaka in the case.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the verdict unanimously after allowing an appeal filed by Prof. Yunus and six others.
The six other accused are: Grameen Telecom's Managing Director Nazmul Islam, and its Directors Ashraful Hassan, Nazneen Sultana, Md Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum, also an adviser to the interim government, and SM Huzzatul Islam Latifee.
On October 21 last year, the apex court allowed Prof. Yunus and six others to move an appeal before this court challenging the High Court order that upheld the indictment against them in the case.
Later, the apex court completed the hearing on the petition on March 19 this year and fixed April 23 for delivering its decision.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on May 30 in 2023 against Prof. Yunus and 12 others with its Integrated District Office No. 1 in Dhaka. An accused was included after investigation.
It was alleged in the case that the accused embezzled Tk 252.2 million from Grameen Telecom Workers' Profit Participation Fund and transferred it illegally, which is an offence under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
Investigation Officer Gulshan Anwar Prodhan, also a deputy director of ACC, on February 1 in 2024 submitted the charge-sheet against Prof. Yunus and 13 others in the case.
A Dhaka court on June 12 in 2024 framed charges against all the 14 accused.
On July 24, the HC summarily rejected a petition filed by Prof. Yunus and six others challenging the Dhaka court's order that framed charges against them in the case. The HC also ordered the lower court concerned to finish the trial proceedings of the case in next one year.
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