Ex-army chief Mustafiz gets permanent bail
Thursday, 12 June 2008
A Dhaka court granted Wednesday permanent bail to former army chief Mustafizur Rahman in the MiG-29 graft case, reports bdnews24.com.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mojumdar of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court, set up on the Songsod Bhobon premises, also deferred the charge-framing proceedings until June 19.
The veteran army general, who is now enjoying interim bail, has been suffering from various illnesses since long.
Sheikh Hasina, the main accused in the case, wasn't produced in the court Wednesday as she had been exempted from personally appearing in the court.
However, other accused persons in the case were produced before the court, while advocate Sahara Khatun appeared in the court on Hasina's behalf.
Mustafiz's lawyer Syed Rezaur Rahman petitioned the court to grant him permanent bail, saying that his client was seriously ill and not able to attend the court proceedings. The lawyer also sought permission to send him abroad for treatment.
The court granted the permanent bail and said the matter of overseas treatment would be settled on June 19.
The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-corruption filed the graft case, involving the controversial purchase of eight MiG-29 war planes, with the Tejgaon police station on December 11, 2001.
Seven people, including Sheikh Hasina, were accused in the case. It was alleged that during Hasina's tenure, the state incurred huge losses amounting to about Tk 7.0 billion because of the purchase deal.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mojumdar of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court, set up on the Songsod Bhobon premises, also deferred the charge-framing proceedings until June 19.
The veteran army general, who is now enjoying interim bail, has been suffering from various illnesses since long.
Sheikh Hasina, the main accused in the case, wasn't produced in the court Wednesday as she had been exempted from personally appearing in the court.
However, other accused persons in the case were produced before the court, while advocate Sahara Khatun appeared in the court on Hasina's behalf.
Mustafiz's lawyer Syed Rezaur Rahman petitioned the court to grant him permanent bail, saying that his client was seriously ill and not able to attend the court proceedings. The lawyer also sought permission to send him abroad for treatment.
The court granted the permanent bail and said the matter of overseas treatment would be settled on June 19.
The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-corruption filed the graft case, involving the controversial purchase of eight MiG-29 war planes, with the Tejgaon police station on December 11, 2001.
Seven people, including Sheikh Hasina, were accused in the case. It was alleged that during Hasina's tenure, the state incurred huge losses amounting to about Tk 7.0 billion because of the purchase deal.