A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque on a seven-day remand in police custody in a corruption and document forgery case.
The judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrates’ Court passed the order upon a request from investigators.
During the proceedings, Khairul Haque denied all allegations brought against him. In response to the charges, he said, “It’s not true,” rejecting the claims made by the investigators.
The case, filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) at Shahbagh Police Station, accuses Haque of abusing his position as the country’s highest judicial officer.
The charges include issuing orders, reports, verdicts, and decisions unlawfully, and forging court documents and official government records during his tenure.
The investigators allege that these actions were taken for personal or political gain.
ABM Khairul Haque served as the chief justice of Bangladesh from 2009 to 2012. His tenure was marked by controversial rulings, with critics often questioning the impartiality of his decisions.
His involvement in politically sensitive cases, particularly those involving government officials, raised concerns about the judiciary’s independence.
One of the most contentious moments of his career came in 2009, when he led a ruling declaring the 13th Amendment to the Constitution unconstitutional.
This amendment had provided for a caretaker government to oversee elections, a decision that caused political turmoil.
The ruling was widely seen as aligning the judiciary with the interests of the then-ruling party, sparking widespread debate about judicial independence in Bangladesh.
After retiring from his judicial post, Haque remained a vocal figure in the legal community, often participating in public discussions on national issues.