Dhaka, Mar 19 (V7N) – The High Court has acquitted former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar of a 17-year sentence in an arms case filed during the former caretaker government. The court ruled that the conviction was illegal and overturned the previous judgment.

A High Court bench consisting of Justices Mostafa Zaman Islam and Nasrin Akhter delivered the verdict on Wednesday. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented Babar in court.

On May 28, 2007, during the tenure of the caretaker government, law enforcement officials recovered illegal weapons and bullets from Babar’s Gulshan residence. Subsequently, a case was filed against him at Gulshan Police Station on June 3, 2007.

Later that year, Dhaka Metropolitan Special Tribunal No. 9 found Babar guilty and sentenced him to 17 years in prison on October 30, 2007. He appealed the verdict in the High Court the same year.

Since his arrest on May 28, 2007, Babar remained in prison for nearly 17 years. Over the years, he faced multiple convictions in different cases. However, after securing bail and acquittals in those cases, he was released from Dhaka Central Jail on January 16, 2025.

Following his release, proceedings in this case had been stayed by the High Court order, leading to today’s final verdict.

With this acquittal, Lutfuzzaman Babar is now cleared of the legal challenges that had kept him behind bars for nearly two decades. However, it remains to be seen if the state will appeal against the High Court’s ruling.

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