The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A Special Judge's Court in Dhaka yesterday rejected bail petition for detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in Niko scam case, as a portion of the charge was made under non-bailable section of the emergency power rules (EPR).

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the case on December 9, 2007 with Tejgaon Police Station in the capital alleging that Begum Zia in connivance with five others, including Ministers of her cabinet, caused Tk 10,000 crore loss to nation while awarding gas fields to inexperienced Canadian company Niko Resources Ltd.

Lawyers defending Begum Zia, also the BNP Chairperson, filed the bail petition on health ground saying she needed bail as she was suffering from physical ailments.

She is also under mental stress, they said.

They also assured the Court that Khaleda would face the case when she would be on bail.

Her counsels argued that their client was not involved in any corruption in awarding deals to Niko, and she deserved bail in the case.

Prosecution lawyers contended that the Court cannot grant her bail since the case was being included in non-bail able sections of the EPR.

Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Md Azizul Haque rejected the bail prayer Begum Zia after hearing both the defence and prosecution lawyers in his Special Judge's Court.

He counsel Advocate Sanaullah Mian said they would move the High Court for the bail as they were denied justice in the trial Court.

The Special Judge's Court could accept the bail petition vide the High Court judgment quashing the extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury against Sheikh Hasina, he said, "The Court could set Begum Zia free on bail as per the High Court judgment as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court did not stayed the operation of the verdict."

The defence lawyers argued that the deal with Niko for extracting gas from Feni, Kamta and Chhatak fields was penned on June 14, 2001 when Sheikh Hasina was in office as the Prime Minister.

"The BNP-led alliance government led of Begum Zia only maintained the continuity of the deal," they said, adding, "She accused had no ill motive or design to go ahead with the previous deal."

Case documents said the Niko deal and its necessary procedures took place between in November, 2001 and in September, 2005, when Begum Zia was in power.

Earlier on February 14, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Rabbani had also turned down a petition Begum Zia in the same case.

Meanwhile, another Court in Dhaka turned down a bail petition for detained former BNP MP Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal in a separate case, citing the charge was framed under no-bail able section of the EPR.