HC bench drops from docket bail petitions of Hasina, Selim
The High Court (HC) yesterday dropped two separate petitions filed by Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and former minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim from its docket on request of their counsels who sought bail for the two in the extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, a special court rejected bail petition of detained AL leader Obaidul Quader in a bribery case.
The HC bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad dropped the bail petitions of Hasina and Selim from the docket following a prayer moved by defence counsels barrister Rafique-ul Huq and Shafique Ahmed.
Hasina and Selim filed the petitions recently for getting bail and staying the proceedings of the case.
After hearing the petitions, the HC bench told the lawyers that the bench would only issue a rule upon the government to show cause as to why the petitioners should not be granted bail in the case.
The defence lawyers then prayed for granting their clients bail in the case. But the court did not grant their prayers as Hasina had already been released without any bail order.
Later, the lawyers prayed for dropping the petitions from the HC bench's docket, so that they can move the petitions to another HC bench.
The HC bench, however, granted anticipatory bail to former lawmaker AKM Rahmat Ullah, Shahidul Alam Talukder, Dr Shafikur Rahman and former state minister Rafiqul Islam's wife Nurun Nahar Lily, in separate graft cases filed by the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier, Attorney General (AG) Salahuddin Ahmed told the HC bench that the HC was barred by an Appellate Division judgment from considering bail petitions in the cases filed under the Emergency Power Rules.
CASE AGAINST QUADER
Judge Khandaker Kamal Uz-zaman of Special Court-9, set up on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, rejected the bail petition filed by Quader's counsel on July 22.
The AL leader's counsel advocate AKM Amin Uddin Manik sought his client's bail yesterday saying that Quader is seriously ill and has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
He also said his client's right arm and leg are becoming paralysed gradually due to neurological problems.
Quader was seriously injured in the grenade attack on an AL rally and about 41 splinters are still in his body, he said adding that his client has been suffering from cardiac problems.
The prosecution lawyer opposed the bail petition.
The court rejected the bail petition after hearing both the sides.
ACC Assistant Director Ashraful Islam filed the case against the former state minister for youth, sports and cultural affairs with Paltan Police Station on charges of taking Tk 47 lakh in bribe from contractors.