The High Court (HC) on Monday granted six-month interim bail to BNP MP Harun-ur Rashid Harun of Chapainawabganj-3 constituency in a case filed for abusing duty-free import privilege.
The HC bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain passed the order after hearing an appeal challenging a lower court verdict that had sentenced Harun to five years imprisonment in the case.
The HC also stayed the lower court order to Harun for paying fine of Tk 5.0 million.
Advocate Joynul Abedin stood for the BNP MP while Advocate Khurshid Alam represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On October 21, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 handed down the verdict against MP Harun.
The court also sentenced Managing Director of TV channel NTV Enayetur Rahim Bappi to two years jail with Tk 100,000 fine while businessman ImtiazSadeque, to three years imprisonment with Tk 4.0 million fine. They were tried in absentia.
According to the prosecution, Harun-ur-Rashid imported a duty-free vehicle at Tk 1.17 million in 2004. Later, he in collusion with Imtiaz sold out the vehicle to Enayetur Rahim at Tk 9.7 million.
Later, sub-inspector Mohammad Yunus Ali of Tejgaon Police Station filed a case against MP Harun and two others on March 17, 2007.
Later on July in 2007, ACC Assistant Director MonayemHossain after investigation submitted charge sheet before the court against the trio.