DHAKA: The High Court Monday exonerated former minister and Chairman of Jatiya Party (Manju) Anwar Hossain Manju from conviction on charges of corruption overturning the judgment handed down by a special court during the emergency times.

An HC bench of Justice Sayed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque came up with the judgment after granting an appeal filed by Manju.

An assistant director of Anti Corruption Commission filed a case with Dhanmondi thana on July 25, 2007 against Manju for taking Tk 1 crore in bribe from a Chinese construction firm.

On June 10 in 2008, a special court set up on the Parliament premises sentenced Manju to seven years` imprisonment in the case.

After the verdict, the JP leader said, “It was a fake allegation brought against me and I was punished for this.”

On August 10 this year, the HC acquitted Manju in another corruption case filed by the Anti-corruption Commission.

BDST 1918 HRS, AUG 23, 2010