The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Detained Awami League president and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday filed a writ petition to the High Court challenging the validity of placing an extortion case against her under the Emergency Powers Rules.

The Emergency Powers Rules bar an accused from seeking bail until the case is resolved. The writ petition was filed by Monjila Faruque, former protocol officer of Sheikh Hasina, to the High Court division bench, comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury yesterday morning seeking a rule asking the government why the inclusion of the case under the Emergency Powers Rules would not be declared illegal and unlawful.

Earlier, Monjila Faruque took the power of attorney from Sheikh Hasina for filing the writ petition.

Besides, the petitioner appealed to the High Court bench to postpone the proceedings of the case and grant bail to Sheikh Hasina.

Barrister Shafique Ahmed, a counsel for Hasina, told reporters that the writ petition is likely to be heard in the High Court Division bench today (Monday).

On September 2, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the extortion case against Sheikh Hasina and six others with Tejgaon Police Station, complaining that the accused, 'through connivance and use of influence,' helped a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up three barge-mounted power plants.

A few days before and after the deal, three companies paid Tk 3 crore in kickbacks which were spent for buying a house with some land in Dhanmondi for Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, says the case statement.

The case statement also mentions that the extortion case filed by the ACC was later included in the Emergency Powers Rules.

The co-accused are former Energy Secretary Toufique Elahi Chowdhury, former PDB Chairman Noor Uddin Mahmud Kamal, Summit Group Managing Director Aziz Khan, its Director Farid Khan, United Group Chairman Hasan Mahmud Raja and its Director Abul Kalam Azad.

Hasina's counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed said Summit Group won the contract for construction of barge-mounted power plants when the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina was in power. The Summit Group chairman later donated funds for the welfare and development of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust. The ACC filed an Tk 3 crore extortion case at Tejgaon Police Station against Sheikh Hasina and six others. "Since the incident of the case happened much before January 11 this year, it cannot be included in the Emergency Powers Rules," he said.

Shafique Ahmed said inclusion of the extortion case in the Emergency Powers Rules was ordered illegally. "It was not lawful. That is why we challenged it. We hope that the High Court will deliver judgement in favour of us," he said.