Govt gets copy of Hasina verdict

The government is preparing to file leave to appeal with the Supreme Court as it received certified copy of the High Court's judgment that declared illegal the bringing of Tk 2.99 crore extortion case filed against former premier Sheikh Hasina under Emergency Power Rules and quashed the case.
The Attorney General's Office is now preparing to file a leave to appeal with the apex court as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on February 12 directed the government to file civil petition for leave to appeal by tomorrow (February 19) along with the certified copy of the High Court judgment.
Sources in the Attorney General's Office, however, could not confirm whether they would be able to file the regular appeal by tomorrow.
Additional Attorney General Salahuddin Ahmad yesterday told The Daily Star, "We got the certified copy of the judgment and are trying to file the leave to appeal as soon as possible."
The High Court bench of Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Shahidul Islam on February 6 quashed the extortion case filed by businessman Azam J Chowdhury last year against Awami League chief Hasina and declared bringing of the case under Emergency Power Rules illegal.
Within an hour of the verdict delivery, the government filed a provisional leave petition with the Supreme Court seeking stay on the High Court verdict. After hearing on the petition, a Supreme Court bench on February 12 without disposing the petition asked the government to file a regular leave petition by February 19.
The hearing on charge framing in the Tk 3 crore barge-mount graft case filed against Hasina and seven others is scheduled to be held tomorrow at 2:30pm in a special court set up at the MP Hostel on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises.
Firoz Alam, judge of Special Court-1, on February 13 deferred the hearing on charge framing as detained Hasina was not produced before the court due to illness.
Judge Firoz is expected to pass his order tomorrow regarding Hasina's petition submitted on Wednesday seeking bail in the graft case as the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments on it.