The New Nation - Internet Edition

Court Correspondent

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka yesterday received the first information reports (FIRs) of two separate cases filed against former Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina and 10 others and ordered the Investigation Officer (IO) to submit investigation report on January 10, 2008.

The cases filed on Sunday with Tejgaon thana in the city by two Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials.

ACC Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan sued Sheikh Hasina and her co-accused for deal with Niko, which caused a loss of Tk 13,630 crore to the Government exchequer, while ACC Assistant Director Mahbubul Alam filed the other case against Begum Zia and her co-accused for causing a loss to the tune of Tk 10,000 crore to the public exchequer.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Robbani yesterday passed the order to submit the investigation reports.

Meanwhile, The ACC yesterday said there was no high-level pressure in filing the cases against former Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina for their alleged involvement in awarding deals to Niko.

"The ACC is free from pressure. The Commission is not working under anybody's influence," ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal said during the Commission's regular press briefing yesterday afternoon when his comments were sought on a report by a leading daily suggesting that the anti-graft body was under high-level pressure to file the cases.

He said the Commission has no such agenda and it was not working to appease a particular individual or quarter. "The ACC is working as per own schedule maintaining its independence, self-governance and neutrality," he added.

"The ACC is conducting inquiries and investigations and filing cases aiming to gain state interests and establish corruption-free good governance," Col Hanif said.

He said in no way the Commission was working being motivated by the so called conspiracy formula or intention.

Asked if the cases filed against Khaleda, Hasina and 10 others on Sunday would be brought under the Emergency Power Rules, 2007, Col Hanif said if in the legal framework it were necessary the Commission would bring the cases under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

Asked if the accused would be questioned in connection with the cases, he said whatever required would be done for the sake of the investigation.

When asked if it has been proved in the inquiries that two former Prime Ministers have financially benefited, Col Hanif said it was the matter for the Court to decide.