Purbachal plot scam: court refuses to hear plea for defending Hasina

A Dhaka court today refused to hear a petition filed seeking permission to defend deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a corruption case.

Lawyer Morshed Hossain Shahin, who filed the petition, told The Daily Star this morning that Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 in Dhaka gave some guidelines regarding the matter.

Quoting the judge, he said, "There is no scope to appoint a state defence in this case due to legal bar."

A court staff said that the court was scheduled to record statements of prosecution witnesses today in three graft cases filed against 23 people, including Hasina, Rehana and Tulip, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Purbachal New Town project.

The Anti-Corruption Commission between January 12 and 14 lodged six separate cases with its Dhaka Integrated District Office-1.

According to the anti-graft body, Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, unlawfully secured six plots -- each measuring 10 kathas, in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project for herself and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul; Rehana and her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and daughter Azmina despite their ineligibility under existing regulations.

On March 25, the ACC filed six charge sheets with the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka where Hasina was named as a common accused in all six cases. The commission has listed all accused as fugitives.

On April 10, 13 and 15, the same court had issued arrest warrants against Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Azmina, Radwan and British MP Tulip Siddiq, along with others, after taking cognisance of the charges.

On July 1, the court ordered the relevant authorities to issue six gazette notifications summoning the 29 individuals to appear at the court. On July 31, charges were framed against 29 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Bobby, Tulip and Azmina, in their respective cases.