Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday summarily rejected a writ petition that was filed challenging the decision of the parliament secretariat cancelling the parliament membership of Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul commonly known as Kazi Papul, who was an independent lawmaker from Laxmipur-2 constituency, on grounds of moral turpitude.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after hearing on the writ petition.
The writ petition filed by Papul’s sister Nurunnahar Begum and another one also challenged the legality of the notification that declared the Laxmipur-2 constituency as vacant.
Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud and Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan appeared in the court on behalf of Kazi Papul, while deputy attorney general Nawroz Md Russel Chwodhury represented the state during the hearing.
The seat of independent lawmaker Kazi Papul was vacated on February 22 this year on grounds of moral turpitude. The parliament secretariat issued a gazette notification to this end following a meeting between Speaker Shirin Sharmin and top officials of the secretariat.
The gazette has been in effect from January 28, 2021, the day Kazi Papul, lawmaker from Laxmipur-2, was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment by a Kuwaiti court for human trafficking and bribing Kuwaiti officials.
Papul was arrested in Kuwait on 6 June last year on charges of human trafficking and money laundering. He later admitted his involvement in these activities, and also acknowledged involvement in illegal visa trading and bribery of Kuwaiti officials.
Following the allegation a Kuwaiti court on January 28 this year sentenced Papul and four others to four years in jail in the case.
In the gazette regarding Papul’s vacated seat, it was mentioned that, as per articles 66 and 67 of the constitution, a member of parliament shall vacate their seat if they are convicted in a criminal offence involving moral turpitude “by a competent court” and is sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release.
