The High Court today granted anticipatory bail to former Supreme Court judge Justice Joynul Abedin for six weeks in connection with a notice issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2010 seeking his bank statements.

The bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah came up with the order and rule after hearing a petition filed by Joynul seeking anticipatory bail fearing that he might be arrested when he will go to submit the bank statements.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government and ACC to explain in four weeks why Justice Joynul, a retired judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, should not be granted regular bail in connection with the ACC notice. 

Joynul Abedin appeared before the HC bench and argued for anticipatory bail.

Justice Joynul headed the one-man judicial enquiry into the grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. His probe report found "foreign enemy link" with the attack.

Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star that the government will move an appeal before the Appellate Division challenging the HC order of bail.

Justice Joynul must submit his bank statements to the ACC, he added.

ACC’s lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, however, told The Daily Star that there is no specific case against Joynul Abedin.