ACC appeals against HC verdict scrapping Haji Salim’s 3-year jail term 

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against a High Court verdict that scrapped Awami League lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim's three years jail sentence in a corruption case.

In this case, the lawmaker from the Dhaka-7 constituency was sentenced to a total of 13 years' imprisonment, under two separate sections of ACC Law, by a Dhaka Trial Court.

On 9 March 2021, a High Court division bench upheld the Trial Court verdict of up to 10 years' jail term, disposing of an appeal by Haji Salim.

The court, however, acquitted the lawmaker of the charge of concealing information in his wealth statement, for which he was sentenced to three-year imprisonment.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said that they filed the appeal against the acquittal.

He said the appeal would be presented to the Chamber Judge's Court for hearing.

Earlier on 10 February, the High Court published the full text of its March 2021 verdict, upholding Salim's 10-year jail term in the graft case.

The court also ordered the lawmaker to surrender to the trial court within 30 days after the verdict document reached the trial court.

On 27 April 2008, the trial court convicted Haji Salim, sentencing him to 13 years of imprisonment, in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on 24 October 2007.

The accused appealed against the judgment to the High Court on 25 October 2009.

The High Court on 2 January 2011, acquitted him of the corruption case, prompting the anti-graft body to appeal against the High Court verdict.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on 12 January 2015 scrapped the High Court verdict and had ordered fresh hearing which resulted in the 13-year jail term.