Court will slap travel ban on accused in graft cases, not ACC: Appellate Division
The court fixed 5 April for full bench hearing at the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice.
The Special Judge's Court, not the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), will issue a travel ban on the accused or suspects in the corruption cases, the Appellate Division's Chamber court says, rather than issuing stay on the High Court order in this regard.
Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Obaidul Hassan, on Sunday, passed the order after hearing the ACC's plea, seeking a stay order on the HC judgement.
However, the court has fixed 5 April for hearing in the full bench of the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the ACC in the court.
Earlier on 16 March, a High Court bench said there is no specific law or rules for banning the people, against suspects or accused in corruption allegations or cases, from leaving the country.
The court also observed that the special judges' courts concerned, not ACC, will take decisions whether corruption suspects or accused can go abroad until a law is enacted to this effect.
"A specific law or rules need to be formulated to this effect soon. It hopes that the Anti-Corruption Commission and the ministries concerned will take necessary steps in this regard," the HC bench said.
The court came up with the judgment after hearing a writ petition filed by one Ataur Rahman from Narsingdi.
According to the case statement challenging the ACC's action to restrain him from going abroad as a graft allegation against him was being inquired.
The ACC served a notice to Ataur Rahman on 24 August 2020, asking him to submit his wealth statement to the commission. He submitted the statement on 22 October. Then, the anti-graft body started an inquiry into his wealth.
Later on 20 December 2020, the commission sent a letter to the special branch of police to bar Ataur from going to Sweden. Ataur then filed the petition with the HC challenging the ACC's action, putting embargo on leaving the country.
Later on 4 February, the High Court issued a rule after hearing the petition.
