Sigma Huda gets HC bail in extortion case

Dhaka, Dec 10 (bdprem.com)—The High Court Monday granted bail to Sigma Huda, wife of former minister Nazmul Huda, in an extortion case. Your Ad Here Justices Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury issued the order after Sigma filed a writ petition with their bench. The HC simultaneously halted the proceedings of the case. The HC asked the government to explain why the proceedings of the case under emergency powers rules would not be declared illegal. Sigma will not be freed from prison as she has already been sentenced to three years in another case. On June 26, a construction contractor of the Roads and Highways Department filed an extortion case with Tejgaon Police Station against Elena Khan, executive director of Bangladesh Society for Enforcement of Human Rights, Huda and Sigma. Huda is a member of the national committee of the BSEHR and Sigma is secretary general. According to case details, Huda called Wahidur Rahman Azad, the complainant, to BSEHR office in February 2003 and demanded Tk 10 lakh in illicit funds to build a conference centre for BSEHR. In the case, Azad alleged that he was compelled to pay Tk 5.5 lakh, but could not file a case at the time fearing reprisal. The government included the case under the emergency powers rules on Sept 30. Sigma filed a writ petition with the High Court, challenging the legality of the case. Senior advocate Abdul Malek took part in the hearing on behalf of Sigma, assisted by advocate Md Ashanur Rahman. Deputy attorney general Syeda Afsar Jahan represented the state in court. In a bribery case filed by the Anticorruption Commission, a Dhaka court on Aug 27 sentenced Huda, former communications minister, to seven-year rigorous imprisonment and his wife to three-year simple imprisonment.