Murshedy must hand over Gulshan house in three months: HC

FE REPORT

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed Awami League lawmaker Abdus Salam Murshedy to hand over the Gulshan house, which he allegedly occupied, to the government terming it abandoned property.

He has been ordered to surrender the property through the housing and public works secretary within three months of receiving the HC verdict.

The court observed that Mr Murshedy occupied an abandoned government house on Road no. 104, holding no. 29 in Gulshan Residential Area without releasing it by the court of settlement.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadot Hossain delivered the verdict after hearing a writ petition that sought a directive to reclaim the house.

The HC also directed the secretary to submit a compliance report to the court through its Registrar Office in 15 days after receiving the property.

Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, also an independent lawmaker, submitted the petition as public-interest litigation to the HC on 31 October 2022.

Mr Suman said Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) gave ownership of the luxurious building of the housing and public works department to Mr Murshedy, now a Khulna-04 lawmaker, by forging documents.

Following the plea, the HC on 01 November 2022 issued a rule regarding the matter, asking the government bodies concerned to submit relevant documents of the house.

Upon hearing on the rule, the higher court on Tuesday disposed of the writ with an observation.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Commission's lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told the court that the ACC in a probe found forgery and abuse of power occurred during the allocation of the house and plot to Mr Murshedy.

Following the enquiry report, the ACC filed a criminal case against 11 people.

The HC asked the ACC to continue with the investigation into a corruption case filed against them for their complicity in transferring the house to Mr Murshedy in the 1990s.

It further observed that the ACC must take action against any others involved in the act.

[email protected]