Niko case might be brought under EPR
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) might question detained former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia in cases filed against them for 'illegal' deals with Canadian gas company Niko.
It is also likely to bring the cases under the emergency power rules.
ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal yesterday said the question of quizzing comes when an investigation calls for a clear view of the allegation brought against an accused. The same is applicable here meaning the two [Hasina and Khaleda] might be quizzed if necessary.
He was speaking at a routine press briefing at the ACC headquarters.
Replying to a query, he said the commission will bring the cases under the emergency rules only if doing so is essential from a legal point of view.
About allegations of pressure in filing the cases, Hanif said, “The ACC is not influenced or motivated by any quarter and it does not believe in initiating any move to harass any individual or an institution.”
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday asked the anti-graft body to submit probe reports in the cases by January 10. The ACC, however, has yet to appoint any investigation officer.
The commission filed two separate cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and 10 others Sunday for losses to the public exchequer by awarding three gas fields to Niko Resources Ltd.
At yesterday's briefing, Col Hanif said, "Observations that the ACC activities are leaving a negative impact on the economic activities are unfortunate.
"An honest individual or an organisation does not have any reason to be afraid as the ACC is committed to taking legal steps against illegal acts while creating a friendly atmosphere for legitimate business activities."
On allegations that the commission has exaggerated the wealth accounts of Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Hanif said, “The ACC does not provide information without documents. Whatever information was given was based on papers."
CASE AGAINST MIRZA KHOKAN
Meanwhile, the anti-graft body yesterday filed a case against Dhaka City Corporation Ward Commissioner Mirza Khokon and his wife Masuda Ekram for accumulating wealth beyond their known sources of income and concealing information in their declarations of assets.
ACC Assistant Director SM Sahidur Rahman filed the case with Motijheel Police Station.
According to the first information report (FIR), Mirza Khokon, younger brother of Mirza Abbas, has concealed information about property worth Tk 28.19 lakh in his wealth statement submitted to the commission on July 23.
Assets earned beyond his known sources of income are worth Tk 1.54 crore.
The FIR also mentions that Khokon has showed his assets to be worth Tk 3.19 crore but the ACC probe found that he has held back information about property valued at Tk 28.19 lakh.
It also said that though the commissioner is a businessman according to income tax documents, his tax returns for 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 tax years showed zero for his income.
GOVT PLEA FOR STAYING HC ORDER REFERRED TO FULL BENCH
UNB adds: The chamber judge of the Supreme Court yesterday referred a government appeal for halting the High Court order that stayed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's trial in a makeshift court to the full bench of the Appellate Division for hearing.
Justice Hassan Ameen, after hearing the application moved by Additional Attorney General Salah Uddin Ahmed, passed the order.
A competent source told the news agency yesterday that the government application for stay would come up on the cause list for hearing on December 13.
On Sunday, the High Court, following a writ petition filed by detained Hasina, also president of Awami League, stayed the trial proceedings of the Tk 3-crore extortion case filed against her by Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of a power company, East Coast Trading Private Ltd.
It had also issued a rule upon the government to explain why the November 26 gazette notification directing the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge to hold its sitting for trial of Hasina'a case only at a makeshift court should not be declared to have been made "without lawful authority". The stay will continue until the rule is resolved.
The government moved the application seeking stay on the operation of the High Court order, as it preferred leave to appeal to overturn the HC orders.
Hasina was arrested on July 16 in connection with the case filed with Gulshan Police Station on June 13.
Hasina, her younger sister Sheikh Rahana, living in London, and detained cousin and former health minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim have been implicated in the extortion case.
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