SC rejects govt plea for stay
Monday, 13 August 2007
The Supreme Court (SC) Sunday rejected government plea for stay on High Court (HC) orders granting bail to ex-PM and Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case and halting the ACC notice for submitting her wealth statement, reports UNB.
In its order, turning down the government prayer, the SC referred the matters for hearing before regular bench of the Appellate Division Tuesday.
The chamber judge of the court, M Hassan Ameen, after hearing the government petitions, passed the twin-order.
Additional Attorney General Salahuddin Ahmed moved the petitions, as the government preferred leave to appeal to overturn the duo HC orders, which also stalled the trial proceedings sans investigation into the extortion case against her.
On August 7, the HC, following two writ petitions filed by Hasina, detained in sub-jail since July 16, had granted her bail and stayed the operation of the ACC notice asking her to submit wealth statement by August 8.
The court also issued separate rule upon the government in this connection.
In the writs Hasina challenged the legality of government action regarding the extortion case she faces under the stringent Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and the ACC notice asking her to submit wealth statement under the current purge against corruption.
The extortion case under the EPR debars an accused from seeking bail until the case is resolved in trial courts.
On June 13, the extortion case was filed with Tejgaon police station by Noor Ali, a business tycoon, accusing Hasina, and her cousin ex-AL lawmaker Sheikh Helal and his wife Rupa Chowdhury, of exacting from him Tk 50 million (5.0 crore) as toll.
Police are now investigating the case.
About the legality of the ACC notice, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, a counsel for Hasina, told the news agency that the anti-graft watchdog "does not have any legal authority to issue such notice depending on mere surmise".
In its order, turning down the government prayer, the SC referred the matters for hearing before regular bench of the Appellate Division Tuesday.
The chamber judge of the court, M Hassan Ameen, after hearing the government petitions, passed the twin-order.
Additional Attorney General Salahuddin Ahmed moved the petitions, as the government preferred leave to appeal to overturn the duo HC orders, which also stalled the trial proceedings sans investigation into the extortion case against her.
On August 7, the HC, following two writ petitions filed by Hasina, detained in sub-jail since July 16, had granted her bail and stayed the operation of the ACC notice asking her to submit wealth statement by August 8.
The court also issued separate rule upon the government in this connection.
In the writs Hasina challenged the legality of government action regarding the extortion case she faces under the stringent Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and the ACC notice asking her to submit wealth statement under the current purge against corruption.
The extortion case under the EPR debars an accused from seeking bail until the case is resolved in trial courts.
On June 13, the extortion case was filed with Tejgaon police station by Noor Ali, a business tycoon, accusing Hasina, and her cousin ex-AL lawmaker Sheikh Helal and his wife Rupa Chowdhury, of exacting from him Tk 50 million (5.0 crore) as toll.
Police are now investigating the case.
About the legality of the ACC notice, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, a counsel for Hasina, told the news agency that the anti-graft watchdog "does not have any legal authority to issue such notice depending on mere surmise".