HC declares valid proceedings against Hasina

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The High Court Sunday declared valid prosecution of detained former Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in the barge-mounted power-plant scam case, one of over a dozen graft charges brought against her under the anti-corruption drive in the interim period, reports UNB.

A division bench comprising Justices Mohammad Abdur Rashid and M Ashfaqul Islam delivered the judgment, discharging its rule issued earlier.

In its verdict the court ruled that the section related to the timeframe of the case proceedings is "directory, not mandatory", as consequence after the expiry of the timeframe is not stated specifically in the law.

It also observed that the counsel for Hasina failed to produce any instance where a case has been set aside after the expiry of the maximum timeframe of 60 days since taking cognizance of the case for trial.