Haji Selim sent to jail in graft case

A special court in Dhaka has sent the ruling Awami League Lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim to jail after his surrender before the court.

Dhaka Special Judge Court-7 passed the order on Sunday (May 22).

Earlier, Haji Selim surrendered before the court around 2:00pm.

Haji Selim, who was sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, went to Bangkok for treatment purpose on May 2 and returned home on May 5 that sparked huge controversy.

On February 10, the full text of the High Court’s verdict was published upholding his 10-year imprisonment.

The HC asked him to surrender to the trial court within 30 days of receiving the verdict.

The HC directed the trial court to cancel the bail order of the MP and issue an arrest warrant against him if he does not surrender within the given time.

On March 9 last year, HC bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq upheld the lower court order sentencing to a 10-year jail after hearing a petition by the ACC.

At the same time, the Dhaka-7 lawmaker was acquitted of a three-year jail term in the same case filed by the ACC for concealing wealth information.

The High Court also reduced the fine imposed on Selim by half to Tk 10 lakh. He will have to spend one more year in jail if he fails to pay the fine.

In 2007, the ACC filed the case against Selim. On April 27, 2008, a Dhaka court jailed him for 13 years and fined Tk 20 lakh.

Selim moved the High Court against the verdict.

In 2011, the court overturned his sentence but the ACC later appealed against the lower court verdict.

Later, the Appellate Division asked the High Court to re-hear the petition.