(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) may launch an inquiry against Chief Justice (CJ) S K Sinha as most of the 11 allegations raised against him are under the jurisdiction of the commission.
'The ACC will first conduct an inquiry and later launch an investigation against the CJ based on the allegations mentioned in a Supreme Court statement on Saturday. If the ACC finds authenticity of the allegations, it'll file cases against the CJ, Anisul told reporters at a press conference yesterday.
'I'm deeply shocked as the chief justice distributed a written statement among journalists before leaving the country saying he was absolutely fine, the minister said, adding, 'He (Sinha) had sought leave mentioning his illness in the application.
A political quarter has been trying to create controversies over the departure of the chief justice, Anisul said.
Replying to a query, the minister said the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) is yet to be restored.
'We'll file an appeal against the Supreme Court verdict over the cancellation of the 16th amendment to the constitution, he said.
An SC statement signed by registrar general Syed Aminul Islam on Saturday said five appellate division judges had declined to conduct judicial activities together with Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha as there are 11 specific allegations, including ‘moral turpitude and corruption', against him.
It also termed the statement issued by Sinha while leaving his residence for Australia on Thursday night confusing.
Justice Sinha was appointed the 21st chief justice in January 2015. He is scheduled to retire on January 31 next year.
He came under fire ever since the SC on August 1 released the full text of the verdict scrapping the 16th amendment that had empowered parliament to remove SC judges.
Following the verdict, the prime minister and senior ministers came down heavily on the CJ, with many of them calling for his resignation.
The parliament on September 13 passed a resolution calling for legal steps to nullify the SC verdict. The law minister on several occasions said the government would seek
review of the judgment.
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