The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court yesterday turned a deaf year to the Anti-Corruption Commission ACC) plea for staying High Court bail to detained business tycoon Salman F Rahman and ex-BNP minister MK Anwar in separate graft cases.

MK Anwar already walked to freedom from jail Tuesday on HC bail in the Gatco graft case, in which the detained immediate-past premier, Khaleda Zia, is the prime accused.

Another ex-minister, Matiur Rahman Nizami, is also out on bail while co-accused in the case Arafat Rahman Coco, Khaleda's younger son, was set free on parole for treatment abroad.

By declining to hear the separate ACC petitions the Chamber Court of Justice MA Matin apparently upheld the High Court interim orders granting bail to Salman and Anwar.

Passing no orders, it asked the ACC to file regular leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court orders.

At the same sitting, the Chamber Court said 'yes' to two other petitions moved by the ACC and stayed for a fortnight the operation of the High Court orders having granted bail for two months to detained BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and former Awami League lawmaker Lotus Kamal in corruption cases.

The court also asked the counsel for the ACC to file regular leave-to-appeal application against the High Court orders during the period.