Sinha’s graft case verdict proves none is above law: Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said the graft case judgement against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha again proved that no one is above the law.
   
"Whoever is in an important post of the government or state should be more cautious about his activities. He should maintain transparency and accountability. We can learn this again from today's judgement," he said, giving his reaction to newsmen at his secretariat office here.
  
The law minister also said today is not a happy day for the judiciary, yet it is also right that whoever commits crimes should be punished. 
   
"I am not happy. He (former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha) was associated with the judiciary. He was the chief justice. I am a lawyer too and associated with the judiciary for my whole life. So, this cannot be a happy matter for me," he added.
  
While talking about the past culture of impunity, Anisul Huq said, "From 1975 to 1996, we saw that no cases were filed for killing the country's Father of the Nation along with most of his family members. But we have come out of this culture."
   
"Through the Bangabandhu murder trial, jail killing case, crimes against humanity cases and other important graft cases, we have again proved that rule of law has been established in the country," he further said.
  
Earlier in the day, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 convicted and sentenced former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar (SK) Sinha to 11-year imprisonment in a case filed for embezzling Tk4 crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad.    
  
The court also sentenced eight others to different jail terms in the case.