SC upholds HC bail for Dr Toufiq
The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld the High Court's (HC) interim bail order for detained former power and energy secretary Dr Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury in a Tk 3 crore barge-mount graft case in which detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and six others are also accused.
The full bench of Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin vacated its earlier stay order on operation of the HC bail order following a petition by the government.
Meanwhile, hearing on charge framing in the graft case against Hasina, also Awami League chief, resumes at a special court today. Earlier, the hearing was adjourned on February 7 following a time petition by the prosecution lawyers.
The HC had granted interim bail to Toufiq on Feb 3 following a writ petition in which he challenged bringing the case under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).
The court had also issued a rule on the government asking it to explain why bringing the case under the EPR should not be declared illegal.
Toufiq was sent to jail on Jan 16.
The prosecution lawyers on February 7 sought time in the case on the ground that they needed the time for preparations to participate in the hearing on charge framing.
The previous day, the HC delivered the landmark judgment declaring illegal bringing of the Tk 2.99 crore extortion case against Hasina under the EPR.
Hasina was produced before the Special Court-1 of Judge Firoz Alam on February 3 for charge framing in the case.
Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan lodged the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year, accusing Hasina and six others of using their influence through mutual understanding to help a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up a barge-mount 100MW power plant in Khulna, depriving the lowest bidder.
Hasina's co-accused at the time were Toufiq, former Power Development Board (PDB) chairman Noor Uddin Mahmud Kamal, Managing Director of Summit Industries and Mercantile Corporation Private Ltd Aziz Khan, its Director Farid Khan, United Group Chairman Hasan Mahmud Raja and its Director Abul Kalam Azad. Another accused was included in the charge sheet later.
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