Khaleda Case: Petition hearing adjourned till Nov 1

The High Court today adjourned till November 1 the hearing of a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of a trial court order that allowed the investigation officer of Niko corruption case to place deposition against her.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu passed the adjournment order after concluding the hearing.

Khaleda's lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali said running the proceedings against his client is contradictory to article 27 of the constitution which says: "All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law".

He said two cases were filed in 2007 against Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia over an unsolicited offer from Canadian company Niko. The HC quashed the case proceedings against Hasina. The case against Khaleda, however, is still running, which is contradictory to Article 27 of the constitution.

He also said the cases were filed to implement the "minus two" theory, which had aimed to exclude Hasina and Khaleda from politics during the last military-backed caretaker government.

The ACC filed the case on December 9, 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.