Hearing on charge-framing June 24

A Dhaka Court yesterday fixed June 24 for hearing on charge-framing in a graft case against Health Minister Dr.Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and former Petrobangla chairman SKM Abdullah .

Judge Rezaul Karim Khan of the Special Court for Dhaka Division fixed the date when they appeared before the court.

In the case filed with Ramna Police Station, it has been alleged that Mosharraf, while he was in the charge of Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, awarded Tk 674.44 crore work to a foreign company for exploration of Barapukuria Coal Mine in Dinajpur without floating any tender for personal financial gains. It caused a loss of Tk16 crore to the state.

The Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAC) filed the case accusing Dr. Mosharraf on September 1 in 1998 during the Awami League rule. But the investigation officer included the name of Abdullah in the charge sheet as his involvement revealed during the investigation.

Meanwhile, the defence lawyers for the accused Mosharraf filed a petition with the High Court (HC) for quashing the case on January 28 in 2001. After hearing, the HC issued a rule upon the government to explain why the charges against the accused should not be quashed. The court also stayed all the proceedings till disposal of the rule. After three years and four months, the HC rejected the petition for quashing the case and discharged the rule on April 11. The court directed the lower court to dispose of the case.