The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Supreme Court yesterday stayed the High Court order granting bail to former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in a corruption case involving the deal on a barge-mounted power plant, while former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's eldest son Tarique Rahman was placed on a five-day police remand in two extortion cases by a lower court.

On the other hand, charge sheet was submitted to a court in Khulna city against detained Khulna City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Taiyebur Rahman in two separate cases.

Besides, two special anti-graft courts yesterday awarded former Additional IGP M Shahidullah Khan six years of jail sentence and former prime minister Khaleda Zia's assignment officer Dr Firoz Mahmood Iqbal for three years of jail sentence.

Backing the Anti-Corruption Commission plea, a seven-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin, passed orders of stay on the bail to Sheikh Hasina as well as on the case proceedings.

The court also directed both the litigants to get the rule resolved in the High Court.

On November 4, the HC, following a writ petition, had granted bail to Sheikh Hasina and stayed the case proceedings against Sheikh Hasina.

The High Court also had issued rule on the ACC and the government to explain why placing the case under the ambit of the Emergency Powers Rules 'should not be declared illegal'.

On September 2, the ACC filed the case against Sheikh Hasina and six others on charge of their involvement in Tk 3 crore kickbacks on the deal.

ACC deputy director Sabbir Hassan filed the case with Tejgaon police station.

The complainants mentioned that Hasina, while in power, and six others, through mutual understanding and use of influence, had helped a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up a 100-mw barge-mounted power plant in Khulna.

Hasina, arrested on July 16 under a political purge in the interim period, is facing a litany of litigation, including graft cases involving MIG-29 warplane and frigate purchases, Meghnaghat power plant, and appoint of consultant for BEPZA.

Barrister Rafique-ul-Huq appeared for Sheikh Hasina while Habibul Islam Bhuiyan stood for the ACC and Attorney General Fida M Kamal represented government.

Yesterday's Supreme Court orders armed the anti-graft watchdog with legal instruments to go ahead conducting the case-proceedings against the former ruler, as part of the caretaker regime's crusade against corruption.

Barrister Fazle Noor Tapash, a counsel for Hasina, expressed his disappointments over the Supreme Court orders. "But," he said, "we'll fight to the last."

On the other hand, BNP joint secretary general Tarique Rahman was yesterday given to police remand for five days for interrogation in two extortion cases.

Businessman Sohel and construction contractor Aftabuddin had filed two separate cases against Tarique, his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun and others with Gulshan and Kafrul police stations accusing them of extorting about Tk 3.20 crore in the name of Hawa Bhaban during the previous BNP government.

Hearing of the remand petitions were heard in presence of Tarique in the dock, who was brought to the court from the Dhaka Central Jail at noon.

Opposing the remand his lawyers submitted that police had been investigating into the cases for the last nine months. But they failed to submit any progress report to the court. Taking Tarique again to the interrogation cell is intended to harass him when he is suffering from pain in the waist and high temperature.

The prosecutor contended that the information available during the remand might go in favour of Tarique.

After hearing both sides, additional CMM Ehsanul Haq granted three days remand in Gulshan case while metropolitan magistrate Habibur Rahman granted two days remand of Tarique in Kafrul thana case.

Tarique was earlier in police remand for five days in connection with to other extortion cases.

Our Khulna Correspondent reports: Police yesterday submitted separate charge sheets against Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman in two cases.

Investigation officers Shibu Prasad and Tipu Sultan submitted the charge sheets to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman's Court in connection with the cases filed under the arms and narcotic control acts.

Police filed the cases against the KCC boss after the law enforcers recovered a pipe gun along with some bullets and few bottles of liquor from his city residence on the night of November 3.

The Mayor was arrested from his Gulshan house in the capital on November 2 following an extortion case filed against him by a KCC officer on November 1.

Meanwhile, a special court, trying high-profile corrupt suspects, yesterday sentenced ex-additional IGP M Shahidullah Khan to six years' imprisonment in absentia for evading income tax and concealing his wealth information.

Judge M Ashraf Hossain sentenced him to five years' in jail for evading tax and one year for concealing information in his wealth statement.

The court also fined him Tk 7 lakh.

However, the convict will have to suffer in jail for five years after his arrest or surrender, as the sentences would run concurrently, court sources said.

The former additional IGP was charged with concealing his income of Tk 76,53,020 in the tax return and thus evaded income tax of Tk 16,54,832.

Assistant Commissioner of Taxes Nahid Nawshad filed the case with CMM Court for submitting false income statement and concealing real income.

Earlier, the special court jailed Shahidullah's wife Masuda Khanam tried in absentia for six years on the same charges.

Another special anti-graft court yesterday jailed Dr Firoz Mahmood Iqbal, assignment officer of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, for three years for non-submission of his wealth statement to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

After examining eight prosecution witnesses and records, Judge M Firoz Alam delivered the verdict. Firoz was tried in absentia.

According to the case statement, the ACC had served a notice upon Firoz asking him to submit his wealth statement in seven working days, a time extended by seven more days. But, Firoz did not comply with the ACC directive.