A Dhaka court on Sunday asked former army chief general Moeen U Ahmed to explain in three weeks why his house at Baridhara DOHS should not be attached.
Dhaka joint district judge SM Saiful Islam passed the order after hearing a case filed by former state minister for power, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku against Moeen, claiming Taka 100 crore as compensation for defaming him.
The court also asked Moeen to submit a written reply to the allegation by August 16.
Iqbal, who was one of the 218 high-profile politicians detained during the rule of the immediate-past military-controlled interim government on charge of corruption, sued Moeen on defamation charge for making derogatory remarks against him on March 27, 2007, saying corrupt politicians had smuggled money overseas, including at least Tk 20,000 crore siphoned off from the energy sector alone.
This is the first case filed against the former army chief, who was the key person behind the declaration of an emergency in 2007 as well as the immediate-past military-controlled interim government.
Iqbal and his counsel Moudud Ahmed, also a former law minister, however, told reporters that more cases would be filed against Moeen, as he had played the key role in the declaration of emergency, installation of the interim government and plotting a scheme to depoliticise the society by putting high-profile politicians behind bars and out of politics.
'This is just the beginning… Many more cases will be filed against Moeen as he plotted depoliticisation and harassed high-profile politicians in the name of drives against corruption to keep politicians out of politics,' said Moudud.
'Moeen and other officials, who were involved in the plots and in harassing and torturing politicians, will be sued by many of the tortured and harassed politicians on criminal charges,' he added.
Iqbal said, 'We will also sue Moeen on criminal charges.'
'I came to the court to stop for ever the process of defaming and harassing politicians, suing them on false graft charges,' he added.
Earlier on June 24, speaking to reporters at his Motijheel chamber, Moudud had said several cases would be filed against Moeen. 'Many people have already come to me for suing Moeen and I will look after the cases as their lawyer,' Moudud, a lawyer, said.
Moudud, who is also a member of the standing committee of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, however, refused to detail the charges to be brought against Moeen. The preparation is on and the cases will be filed soon, he added.
The former army chief also came under fire from many influential leaders and lawmakers of the ruling Awami League and its allies, including Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil and the party advisory committee member Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.
Pleading for Iqbal, Moudud told the court that Moeen at a reception for freedom fighters at the National Parade Ground on March 27, 2007 had alleged that Taka 20,000 crore had been misappropriated or smuggled abroad from the power sector during the BNP-led four-party alliance government.
But on June 20, the state minister for power, Shamsul Haque Tuku, told the parliament that the total budget for the power sector during the tenure of the BNP-led government was Taka 13,500 crore.
Referring to the statement, Moudud argued that Moeen had made the false statement only to defame Iqbal.
For making such a derogatory remarks causing enormous damage to the public image of Iqbal, general Moeen should be decreed to pay Iqbal as compensation Taka 20,000 crore for political defamation, Taka 20,000 crore for defaming his family, Taka 40,000 crore for causing loss in business and Taka 20,000 crore for damaging his business goodwill, Moudud argued.
'That is why he [Moeen] needs to be brought to the court to prove the allegations brought against the politicians, particularly against Iqbal Hasan Mahmud. He must compensate them,' Moudud said.
He said that trial for all the repressions on politicians that were committed as per the orders of the former army chief would be conducted on the soil of Bangladesh.
Moeen, who retired on June 15 as army chief, went to United States on July 7 along with his wife.
Moudud also appealed for an injunction on the sale or transfer of Moeen's house till disposal of the case.
The court, however, rejected the prayer asking Moeen to explain in three weeks why his Baridhara DOHS house should not be attached as security deposit in connection with the case.
Iqbal was arrested by army-led joint forces immediately after the declaration of emergency, later on November 15, 2007, jailed for nine years for amassing illegal wealth beyond his know sources of income.
His wife Romana Hasan Mahmud, son Abed Hasan Mahmud and daughter Sarah Hasin Mahmud were also charged in the case, but they were not tried as the High Court on August 29, 2007 stayed the proceedings against them.
Iqbal was released on bail on December 15, 2008. His wife contested the December 29, 2008, general elections and was elected a lawmaker from a constituency in Sirajganj.
http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jul/13/front.html
