The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday said now there is no legal bar in resuming inquiry into Sheikh Hasina's wealth statement as the Appellate Division overturned the High Court verdict that had declared the notice seeking her wealth statement illegal.

"Legally, there is no bar (in resuming inquiry into Hasina's wealth statement)," ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal, also Commission's spokesperson, told a regular briefing replying to a query about the verdict.

ACC deputy director Shabbir Hasan, the inquiry officer of Hasina's wealth statement, told UNB that he would resume inquiry only when he gets a written order from the Commission.

About the verdict, Hanif said the Commission is always respectful of court decisions and had the verdict gone other way the ACC would have accepted it.

The Commission stopped inquiry into Sheikh Hasina's wealth statement amidst the legal wrangling over its notice.

On July 17, Hasina, along with her arch rival another former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was issued notice by the ACC directing her to submit her wealth statement. She received the notice on July 19 through jail authorities.

After some legal squabbling, the Awami League chief submitted her wealth statement on September 3, 2007 through the prison authorities stating that she owned property worth about Tk 3.5 crore.