Split verdict on Maya’s legality as MP

The High Court has given a spit verdict on a petition regarding Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya`s legality in holding parliament membership with a conviction in graft case.

The bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ashraful Kamal passed the order on Monday afternoon.

The senior justice of the bench issued a rule asking in which authority Maya is holding the posts of a lawmaker and minister while the junior justice rejected the petition that questioned Maya`s minister ship.

As per the rule, the petition along with order documents would be sent to Chief Justice SK Sinha so that he fixes a single judge’s bench to hear the pleas. Then the view of the majority would be final.

Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand filed the petition on July 7. He served a legal notice to Maya on June 30 asking him to explain within 24 hours under what authority he is holding the offices after the apex court annulled his acquittal in a graft case.

On June 14, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court cancelled the High Court`s acquittal of ruling party lawmaker Maya from a 13-year jail sentence in a corruption case.

On June 13 in 2007, the ACC filed the case against Maya with Sutrapur police station on the charge of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk29 lakh and concealing information about it. A special court sentenced Maya to 13 years` imprisonment in the case on February 14, 2008.

Maya filed an appeal with the HC challenging the special court`s verdict on May 25, 2009. After hearing the appeal, an HC bench acquitted the minister of the corruption charges and cancelled his conviction.