SC upholds Shahid’s JS seat vacating order
The Appellate Division on Thursday upheld a High Court order that rejected a writ petition challenging the legality of vacating parliamentary membership of convicted independent member of parliament for Lakshmipur-2 constituency Mohammad Shahid Islam.
The court also upheld another order of the High Court that rejected a writ petition filed by former BNP MP Abdul Khayer Bhuiyan, who was rival Shahid’s rival in 2018 general election, challenging the legality of the declaration of Lakshmipur-2 constituency’s election which is scheduled to be held on June 21.
A six-member bench-chaired by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the orders after hearing two writ petitions — one filed by Shaid’s sister Nurun Nahar Begum and a supporter of his nomination paper, and the other filed by Abul Khayer.
Abul Khayer argued that the Election Commission had no authority to declare the election schedule unless the High Court disposes of his another petition filed on February 22, 2019 to declare him as lawmaker cancelling the result of the 2018 general election in which allegations of rigging were widely reported in the media.
On January 28, Kuwait court sentenced Shahid to four-year jail finding him guilty of committing crimes related to money laundering, trafficking and bribery.
An appellate court of Kuwait on April 24 increased his four-year sentence to seven-year.
Earlier on February 22 the parliament declared the Lakshmipur-2 constituency seat vacant as per Article 66(2) and 67(1) of the constitution after receiving a copy of the verdict from Kuwait.
The Kuwait government arrested Shahid on June 6, 2020, and filed three cases against him on allegations of human trafficking, money laundering and bribing for securing job contracts for his companies.
News Courtesy- http://www.newagebd.net/article/141034/sc-upholds-shahids-js-seat-vacating-order
Senior lawyers Rokanuddin Mahmud and his junior Mustafizur Rahman Khan represented Shahid while Mahbub Uddin Khokon appeared for Abul Khayer.
