Supreme Court issues statement containing allegations

Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who left the country on Friday on a long leave, faces 11 charges, including those pertaining to corruption and moral lapse.

The Supreme Court said that the colleagues of Mr. Sinha had refused to even work with him over the barrage of allegations. A statement issued on Saturday, signed by the court’s Registrar General Syed Aminul Islam, contained the allegations against Mr. Sinha.

Met the President

Ahead of his departure from the country, which Mr. Sinha said was “for the sake of the judiciary’s image”, he had said that he was embarrassed by the way he was criticised in political quarters, especially by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and some of the Ministers, following a verdict. Describing it as misleading, the Supreme Court statement disclosed that President Abdul Hamid had invited Mr. Sinha and five other appellate judges to a meeting on September 30, during which he handed over documents on 11 specific charges against him. They included allegations regarding “money laundering, financial misappropriation and moral lapses”.

The appellate judges, according to the statement, later met Mr. Sinha at his residence. “But, as the five judges did not get an acceptable explanation or a satisfactory answer... they categorically told him that in this situation, it would not be possible for them to conduct trial proceedings sitting in the same bench with him until the allegations are resolved”.

One-month leave

“On Oct. 2, 2017, without informing the other judges, he filed an application for a one-month leave to the president, which was accepted,” it said.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said he believes the charges, including money laundering and moral lapse, against Justice Sinha, “are based on evidence”. He also said Mr. Sinha rejoining the office after his return is a “far cry”.