The High Court yesterday quashed the proceedings against former mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury in two separate corruption cases filed in 2003.
The now defunct Bureau of Anti Corruption had filed the cases against Mohiuddin and the owner of Nupur Cinema Hall in Chittagong on charges of misappropriating a total of Tk 6 lakh in 1996-1999 fiscal years by reducing holding tax of the cinema hall to Tk 5.5 lakh from Tk 17.55 lakh.
The BAC's investigation officer pressed corruption charges against Mohiuddin on November 12, 2003 and subsequently the Chittagong Divisional Special judge took the charges into cognisance on November 30, 2003.
The Chittaging court, however, granted bail to Mohiuddin.
Later Mohiuddin filed two separate petitions with the HC, seeking the proceedings of cases to be quashed.
The HC then stayed the proceedings of the cases and issued a rule asking the government to explain why the cases should not be quashed.
After holding hearing on the rule, the bench of Justice Borhanuddin and Justice Mahmudul Hoque came up with the verdict.