COALMINE GRAFT CASE
HC ends hearing on Khaleda plea
The High Court yesterday concluded the hearing on a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the trial proceedings of Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against her and kept the matter to deliver its verdict any day.
After concluding hearing on the petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice Abdur Rob kept the petition curia advisori vult CAV (legal Latin term meaning verdict will be delivered anytime).
However, the HC bench extended its previous order that stayed the proceedings of the case until delivery of the verdict.
Earlier on August 23, the HC rejected two petitions of Khaleda Zia seeking the records and final report in Barapukuria corruption case.
Following the rejection order, there is no legal bar for the HC to hear Khaledas petition challenging the legality of the case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission in 2008.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, counsel for ACC, told reporters that the HC has concluded the hearing on a rule issued by it earlier.
Khaledas counsel Raghib Rauf Chowdhury said the verdict could be announced any day.
The ACC filed the case on February 26, 2008 accusing Khaleda and 15 others of causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract of operating Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company, abusing power.
