The High Court yesterday acquitted Md Gias Uddin Al Mamun, a business-man and close friendof BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman, of corruption.

He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the graft case during the rule of the previous military-backed caretaker government (2007-08).

On April 5, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission lodged the case with a Dhaka court on charges of not submitting his wealth statement to the commission within the deadline.

Yesterday, the HC also scrapped the trial court's judgment that convicted Mamun on June 7, 2007, and handed him the punishment.

The bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah delivered the verdict after hearing an appeal filed by Mamun challenging the trial court judgment.

The accused walked out of jail on bail on August 6 this year after spending 17 years behind bars.

Sabbir Hamza Chowdhury, the lawyer for Mamun, told The Daily Star that the HC acquitted his client on the ground that he could not submit his wealth statement as he was in the law enforcers' custody in 2007.

Besides, the ACC's notice seeking his wealth statement was illegal as it had given him only 72 hours to do so instead of seven days, he said.

The lawyer added that his client was accused in 22 criminal cases. Of them, 19 were filed during the military-backed caretaker government and the rest during the Awami League government.

Mamun, who has been convicted in five cases, got bail from the HC and lower courts concerned in all the 22 cases, he said.

The accused was picked up by the joint forces on January 26, 2007. He was shown arrested in a case on March 26 that year.

Md Ashif Hassan appeared for the ACC during yesterday's hearing.