Gatco graft case against Khaleda: Charge framing hearing adjourned till Feb 15
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A Dhaka court today adjourned until February 15 the hearing on charge framing in the Gatco graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 14 others.
Judge Muhammad Ali Hussain of Special Judge's Court-3 of Dhaka passed the order after a short hearing on charge framing, Khaleda's lawyer Syed Zaynal Abedin Meshbah told The Daily Star.
Before the order was passed, Meshbah toldthe court that senior lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder, who will argue in support of discharging Khaleda Zia from charges of the case, went abroad and could not take part in today's hearing. So, the hearing should be adjourned, the lawyer added.
The judge, however, dismissed the petition and asked the lawyer to start hearing process on charge framing on behalf of Khaleda Zia in the case.
Khaleda is now ill and has been receiving treatment at her Gulshan residence after she got out of jail following an executive order of the government, said Meshbah.
Meshbah represented Khaleda at the court in her absence as she was exempted from personal appearance earlier.
Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain, now on bail, was earlier taken to Singapore for treatment while another accused Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, who is also on bail, was earlier arrested in connection with another case filed with Paltan Model Police Station.
Nine other accused, now on bail, were present at the court today.
Three other accused were absent and their lawyers submitted time petitions for their non-appearance before the court today.
On September 2, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station against Khaleda and several others on charges of misappropriating around Tk 1,000 crore while dealing with Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Company Ltd (Gatco).
On May 13, 2008, the anti-graft body pressed charges against the former premier and 23 others.
Meanwhile, names of nine other accused, including Khaleda's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, were dropped from the charge sheet following their deaths on different dates.
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