HC grants bail to Moudud

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The High Court (HC), responding to a writ petition, granted Sunday bail to detained former law minister Moudud Ahmed in a liquor case under the Emergency Powers Rules, reports UNB.
Passing the interim order, a Division Bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury issued a rule upon the government to explain why its action placing the case under the Emergency Powers Rules should not be declared illegal.
The rule is made returnable in eight weeks, stated the court order.
Police sources said that despite the High Court bail, Moudud, also a BNP stalwart, would not be set free as he had already been detained under the stringent Special Powers Act.
Earlier on July 9, the High Court, upon an application for quashing the liquor case, had issued rule upon the government to show cause why the case should not be set aside and stayed its trial proceedings.
On April 13, the army-led joint forces arrested Moudud from his Gulshan residence and reportedly seized 16 bottles of foreign liquors and 32 cans of beer along with 220 pieces of saris of the government relief fund.
Immediately after his arrest, Sub-Inspector (SI) Khabir Ahmed of Gulshan police station filed a case under Section 25 (Kha) of the Special Powers Act 1974, accusing Moudud of bringing foreign liquors through tax evasion.
Later, the case was placed under the Emergency Powers Rules in a bid to debar him from seeking bail until the case is resolved in trial courts.
Moudud is among scores of once-powerful politicians, bureaucrats and business tycoons held during the current drive launched by the caretaker government against serious crime and corruption.