Hearing in Niko graft case against Khaleda deferred till August 22
A Dhaka court today deferred till August 22 the hearing of the Niko corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others.
Before that, the court rejected an application submitted by Khaleda's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder, seeking an adjournment of the hearing.
In the application, Talukder mentioned that Khaleda had earlier filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the order for framing charges against her.
However, the matter has come on the list for hearing today and that's why recording of statements should be adjourned until finalisation of the writ petition, Masud added.
But the judge, rejecting their petition, started recording statement of the complainant, said ACC Deputy Director Muhammad Mahbubul Alam. The defence submitted another application for reconsidering their pleas.
The judge then granted their petition and set the new date.
On May 23, the court recorded a part of the complainant's statement.
Khaleda has been receiving treatment at her Gulshan residence after she came out of jail, following an executive order of the government.
Talukder represents Khaleda in the court in her absence.
On March 19, the same court framed charges against Khaleda and seven others.
Four accused -- former acting secretary for energy ministry Khondaker Shahidul Islam, its former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hussain, and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman's close friend Giausuddin Al Mamun and former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan -- are now on bail and were present at the court today.
Three others, including former principal secretary to the former prime minister, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, remain absconding.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case in December 2007, accusing Khaleda and several others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was prime minister between 2001 and 2006.
Three of the accused in the case -- including former state minister for energy and BNP leader AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former law minister Moudud Ahmed-- died earlier. Their names were dropped from the charges of case.
Khaleda Zia, who stands as accused in 33 other cases, was convicted on different terms of punishment in two other cases, including the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
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