Spl court again defers arraignment hearing to June 30
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
A special court once again deferred Tuesday the arraignment hearing in the GATCO scam case against detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to June 30, reports UNB.
The number of other accused in the case is 23, including Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, and her eight former cabinet colleagues.
The judge of the special court, Shahed Noor Uddin, passed the orders after rejecting a defence plea for adjournment on charge hearing.
The defence counsel sought for the adjournment as the fate of the case lies with the higher court for disposal.
On June 15, the Supreme Court adjourned for one month the hearing of the Anti-corruption Commission's (ACC) appeal against the High Court orders that had granted bail to detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Koko in the GATCO corruption case and stayed the case proceedings.
The court resumed at 10:35am after Khaleda Zia and 16 other accused in custody, including former ministers Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, Khondoker Mosharrof Hossain, AKM Mosharrof Hossain and Matiur Rahman Nizami of Jamaat-e-Islami were produced before it amid tight security.
Khaleda Zia'a son Koko was brought on to the court premises from a hospital prison cell by an ambulance. Later, he was taken to the courtroom in a wheelchair along with a stand-by oxygen cylinder beside him followed by a physician.
Of the 24 accused, seven are shown absconding. They include former finance minister M Saifur Rahman and former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, both staying abroad.
On May 13, the anti-corruption watchdog, after investigations, submitted charge sheet to the court in the GATCO case.
The ACC filed the case with the Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year against Khaleda Zia, her son Koko and others for graft in awarding GATCO the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.
The following day, the joint forces arrested Khaleda Zia and Koko from their Dhaka Cantonment residence. The accused persons have been charged with causing a loss of over Tk 140 million to the state by striking the container handling deal with GATCO despite the firm's "lack of experience and skill
The number of other accused in the case is 23, including Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, and her eight former cabinet colleagues.
The judge of the special court, Shahed Noor Uddin, passed the orders after rejecting a defence plea for adjournment on charge hearing.
The defence counsel sought for the adjournment as the fate of the case lies with the higher court for disposal.
On June 15, the Supreme Court adjourned for one month the hearing of the Anti-corruption Commission's (ACC) appeal against the High Court orders that had granted bail to detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Koko in the GATCO corruption case and stayed the case proceedings.
The court resumed at 10:35am after Khaleda Zia and 16 other accused in custody, including former ministers Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, Khondoker Mosharrof Hossain, AKM Mosharrof Hossain and Matiur Rahman Nizami of Jamaat-e-Islami were produced before it amid tight security.
Khaleda Zia'a son Koko was brought on to the court premises from a hospital prison cell by an ambulance. Later, he was taken to the courtroom in a wheelchair along with a stand-by oxygen cylinder beside him followed by a physician.
Of the 24 accused, seven are shown absconding. They include former finance minister M Saifur Rahman and former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, both staying abroad.
On May 13, the anti-corruption watchdog, after investigations, submitted charge sheet to the court in the GATCO case.
The ACC filed the case with the Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year against Khaleda Zia, her son Koko and others for graft in awarding GATCO the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.
The following day, the joint forces arrested Khaleda Zia and Koko from their Dhaka Cantonment residence. The accused persons have been charged with causing a loss of over Tk 140 million to the state by striking the container handling deal with GATCO despite the firm's "lack of experience and skill