The High Court on Sunday ordered the authorities concerned to keep frozen the accounts of BNP Vice-chairman M Morshed Khan, his wife and son with a Hong Kong bank for 10 days in a money laundering case.
An HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain passed the order following a revision petition filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC). The court also issued a rule upon the accused to explain why the lower court order accepting the final report acquitting the three accused of charges in the case should not be declared illegal and as to why directives should not be given for further investigation into the case.
Morshed Khan, his wife Nasrin Khan and son Foysal Morshed have been asked to respond to the rule within two weeks. The court also fixed June 15 for the next hearing in the case. Khurshed Alam Khan stood for the ACC during the hearing. Talking to reporters, Khurshed said the bank accounts of the trio, including Morshed Khan, with the Hong Kong branch of Standard Chartered Bank will remain closed for 10 days following the court order.
The ACC on December 31, 2013 filed a case against former Foreign Minister and BNP leader Morshed Khan, his wife and son on charge of siphoning off money to Hong Kong.
The ACC submitted a final report in the case in July, 2015. Later, the lower court cleared the three accused of the charges after accepting the report. The ACC lawyer said Hong Kong police kept the accounts closed since 2008 following an administrative order. Later, they sent a letter to the Bangladesh authorities that they will open the accounts if Bangladesh does not take any step.
Later, the ACC filed two petitions with the lower court seeking its order to revive the case and conduct further investigation. However, the court rejected the petitions.
The ACC filed a revision petition with the High Court after the lower court rejected the petitions.
