The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman and businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun in a Tk聽20-crore money laundering case filed during the ousted Awami League government.
A four-member bench, led by chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, granted Mamun鈥檚 appeal, overturning the seven-year prison sentence imposed by a lower court in 2013 and upheld by the High Court in 2016.
During the hearing, lawyer SM Shajahan made a verbal prayer to acquit Tarique, arguing that a co-accused should receive the same benefit if one is acquitted of similar charges.
The court allowed this plea, leading to Tarique鈥檚 acquittal.
The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the case in October 2009 with Cantonment Police Station, accusing Tarique and Mamun of laundering Tk 20.41 crore to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
Mamun had appealed the High Court鈥檚 July 21, 2016 ruling, which upheld his conviction.
Meanwhile, the High Court had sentenced Tarique to seven years following an ACC appeal that overturned his previous acquittal by the trial court.
Tarique, currently residing in London, was tried in absentia as a fugitive, while Mamun was released on bail after the fall of the Awami League government amid a mass uprising on August 5, 2024.