The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed the High Court (HC) orders that halted the proceedings of three graft cases against former adviser of caretaker government Justice Fazlul Huq and two ex-ministers.
A three-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque passed the orders following three separate appeals filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC, during the tenure of last caretaker government, filed two cases against Fazlul Huq and former Awami League minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim for amassing wealth illegally.
The anti-graft body also sued former BNP minister Mirza Abbas for allocating 18 abandoned government houses illegally, when he was in charge of Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
MA Aziz Khan, the ACC counsel, told The Daily Star that the corruption cases against the three will now run at trial courts following the SC orders.
The HC in September 2008 stayed the proceedings of the corruption cases, and also issued separate rules upon the ACC and the government to explain why the proceedings of the cases should not be declared illegal.
The ACC in the same year filed separate leave to appeal petitions with the SC against the HC's stay orders.
The SC's stay orders will be in force till disposal of the HC rules.
Barrister Rafique-ul Huq and advocate Ahsanul Karim appeared for Mirza Abbas and barrister Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh argued for Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, while no lawyer was present for Fazlul Huq.