Staff Correspondent:

The High Court on Wednesday (May 28) scrapped the convictions of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during the 2007 caretaker government.

The bench of Justice Md Khashruzzaman delivered the verdict after hearing on Zubaida’s appeal, according to court sources.

Tarique had been sentenced to nine years and Zubaida to three years in prison in the case by a lower court.

The case involved charges of amassing wealth beyond known sources of income and concealing information about assets.

Speaking to reporters after the ruling, senior lawyer SM Mahzahan said, “Tarique Rahman had not appealed in this particular case. However, the Supreme Court had previously acquitted him in the August 21 grenade attack case and another money laundering case. In line with the precedents set by those rulings, the court on Wednesday declared Tarique and Zubaida Rahman fully acquitted in this case as well.”

“The trial and verdict of the lower court in this case were motivated. The High Court has nullified the entire verdict of the lower court, effectively clearing both Tarique and Zubaida of all charges,” he added.

Mahzahan further said that there are now no other pending cases in which either Tarique Rahman or Dr Zubaida Rahman have convictions, noting, “They have been acquitted in all cases.”