No bar to reinvestigating graft charges against Morshed

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) upheld on Thursday the High Court order that had asked to reinvestigate the money-laundering charges against former Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, his wife and son, reports UNB.

A four-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after rejecting a petition filed by the former minister.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam said with the SC order there is no bar to the continuation of the trial proceedings against Morshed, his wife and son.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court fixed Thursday for delivering judgment following an appeal petition filed by former Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan against a High Court order for re-investigation into money-laundering charges against Morshed Khan, his wife and son.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on December 31, 2013 filed the case against the BNP vice-chairman M Morshed Khan, his wife Nasrin Khan and son Foysal Morshed Khan on charge of siphoning off money to Hong Kong.

The ACC submitted a final report in the case in July, 2015. Later, the lower court cleared the three accused of the charges after accepting the report.

The ACC lawyer said Hong Kong police kept the accounts closed since 2008 following an administrative order.

Later, they sent a letter to the Bangladesh authorities that they will open the accounts if Bangladesh does not take any step.

Finally, the ACC filed two petitions with the lower court seeking its order to revive the case and conduct further investigation.