Testimony begins in corruption case against ex-MP Bodi

Testimony has begun against Abdur Rahman Bodi, a former member of parliament of Cox's Bazar-4 constituency, in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on charges of accumulating wealth illegally and hiding information on assets.

Abul Kalam Azad, deputy director of the ACC Chattogram office, testified in the court of Chattogram Divisional Special Judge Munshi Abdul Majid on Thursday (22 September). 

At that time, Abdur Rahman Bodi was present at the court.

On 17 December 2007, the ACC filed a case with Double Mooring Police Station of Chattogram against Bodi for hiding information of Tk56,11,500 and amassing Tk79.37 lakh from unknown sources of income.

On 24 June 2008, the ACC submitted the charge-sheet in this case.

Later, when the accused secured a stay order from the High Court, the proceedings of the case were halted for a long time. 

After filing an appeal against this order, the proceedings of the case finally resumed in 2017.

After that, the defendant applied to the Chattogram District Judge Court seeking exemption from the case. Rejecting that appeal, the court ordered the resumption of the trial on 13 September 2020, by framing the charges against Bodi.

Abdur Rahman Bodi then filed a revision petition with the High Court seeking to cancel the district court order. In January this year, the High Court dismissed the petition.

The defendant again appealed to the District Judge Court seeking a suspension of the case proceedings. After hearing it on 18 April this year, the court dismissed it as well. 

The former parliament member of the ruling party appealed to the High Court challenging the dismissal order, which was rejected by the High Court on 22 May.

ACC Public Prosecutor (PP) Kazi Sanowar Ahmed Lavlu said the court has fixed 7 November as the next date of recording testimony.

Bodi is a two-time Member of Parliament from Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhiya-Teknaf) constituency. He was denied nomination in the December 2018 national election in the face of fierce criticism for his involvement in various illicit activities including yaba smuggling.