SC terms Zubaida Rahman as fugitive

In the full text of a verdict the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has mentioned Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, as a fugitive. The apex court also observed that the High Court division has committed an error admitting a petition filed on behalf of Zubaida Rahman.
Citing the verdict lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan who appeared in the case on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said, "Zubaida Rahman was absconding when the High Court admitted her petition in the corruption case filed for amassing assets through illegal means and concealing information in their wealth statement. The High Court didn't do the right job admitting a petition filed by a fugitive."
"The Appellate Division has also observed in the verdict that all citizens are equal before the law according to the Article 27 of the Constitution. But in this case Zubaida Rahman got a special privilege which was contrary to the Constitution," also said the lawyer citing the verdict.
Meanwhile, Barrister Kayser Kamal, a counsel for Zubaida Rahman, didn't make any comment over the issue as they yet to receive the copy of the verdict.
The full text has been released on Wednesday, while a four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique delivered the short verdict on April 13 this year.
The apex court, however, upheld a part of the High Court verdict that rejected a petition filed by Zubaida seeking to drop the charges of concealing asset information against her. The decision cleared the way for continuation of the trial proceedings of the corruption case filed against Dr Zubaida Rahman.
The apex court cancelled a part of the High Court order that asked Zubaida to surrender before the concerned trial court within eight weeks as a fugitive cannot get such option to surrender, said the lawyer.

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