The High Court (HC) yesterday acquitted former military ruler HM Ershad in a 26-year-old corruption case involving the misappropriation of Tk. 1.91 crore. In its verdict, the HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty acquitted Ershad of the charges as the allegations brought against him had not been proved. The HC, which overturned the trial court’s verdict, also scrapped two pleas by the state, seeking stricter penalties for Ershad. The HC acquitted Ershad
after allowing his appeal against the lower court verdict, advocate Sheikh Sirajul Islam told reporters after the judgement.
On the other hand, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said he found the verdict “strange” as the HC acquitted Ershad of the charges but asked him to deposit all gifts worth over Tk. 1.9 crore to the state exchequer.
 The ACC lawyer described the verdict as being ‘self-contradictory’.
 In response to a query, Khurshid Alam Khan said he had already suggested that the ACC should file an appeal with the Supreme Court (SC) against the verdict. “Now, the ACC will take a decision on whether to file an appeal with the Appellate Division,” he added.
Earlier, on April 12, the High Court bench had fixed May 9 (yesterday) for delivering its verdict on three separate appeals in the 26-year-old corruption case against the former president.
One of the appeals was filed by Ershad himself, a special envoy to the Prime Minister, seeking acquittal in the case as a lower court had sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment in 1992.
The two other appeals were filed by the government for extending Ershad’s punishment.
Earlier, on March 27 this year, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha had assigned the HC bench to hear the three separate appeals.
The Jatiya Party chairman was accused in a case filed with the Cantonment Police Station on January 8, 1991, for allegedly ‘misappropriating’ over Tk. 1.91crore.
On February 3, 1992, a Dhaka court sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment and ordered the authorities to confiscate the money and his Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle for his involvement in corruption.
Ershad filed an appeal with the HC the same year, challenging the lower court’s judgment. Following the appeal, the HC at that time stayed the lower court verdict. The ACC, on February 26, 2012, became a party to the case with the HC’s permission.
Ershad had obtained a bail from the HC in the case after serving three years in jail.