Ershad acquitted in radar purchase scam

A Dhaka court on Wednesday acquitted former president HM Ershad, also Jatiya Party chairman, and two others in radar purchase scam case.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court delivered the judgment in the afternoon.

Earlier on January 8, the Supreme Court directed the lower court concerned to resume and finish the trial proceedings of the scam case.

The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the case against Ershad and three others in 1992.

Ershad in collusion with others allegedly caused a loss of Tk 64.04 crore to the state exchequer by purchasing radars from the USA while he was in power, said the case statement.

On August 12, 1995, the trial court framed charges against Ershad, former air chiefs Sultan Mahmud and Mamtazuddin Ahmed, and United Traders Ltd director AKM Musa. Musa has been absconding since then.

Source: New Age