BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas today pleaded not guilty after a Dhaka court read out the charges from the statements of 24 prosecution witnesses in a graft case filed against him in 2007.
Abbas, who stands as an accused in 85 other cases, told the court that he would submit his defence statement on the next scheduled day after getting a certified copy of the case.
The case was filed during the regime of military-backed caretaker government on charge of amassing wealth through illegal means and providing false information about wealth to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Judge Monjurul Imam of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-6 set October 22 for his defence statement in the case.
Earlier, the court recorded statements of 24 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.
The court framed charges against Mirza Abbas, also a former minister, and his wife on June 16, 2008.
After the charge was framed, they challenged it with the High Court. After the hearing, the HC quashed the proceedings related to Afroza Abbas.
The High Court on November 11, 2018 rejected an appeal to suspend the trial proceeding against Mirza Abbas in this case.
Later, Abbas filed a leave-to-appeal petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
On October 25, 2022, the Appellate Division dismissed a petition against a High Court order that said the graft case proceedings against Mirza Abbas will continue.
The Supreme Court on February 16 this year dismissed a petition seeking review of the apex court's refusal to quash his graft case proceedings, and cleared the way for the lower court to continue the trial.
On August 16, 2007, the ACC filed the case with Ramna Police Station against Mirza Abbas and his wife for amassing wealth worth over Tk 5.67 crore beyond known sources of income and concealing wealth statement of Tk 23 lakh to ACC.
The ACC on May 14, 2008 pressed charges against the two in the case.
