The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Golam Mortoza yesterday postponed the charge hearing of the Mig-29 scam case against detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her co-accused till March 13 following a time petition by their lawyers.

The defence lawyers moved the petition, as the jail authorities could not produce her in the Court on security ground. However, all her co-accused were appeared before the Court.

Judge of the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court, located in old town area in the capital, after hearing the petition, fixed March 13 the next date for hearing asked all the accused to appear before the Court on that day.

The defence counsels, in their time petition, argued that a writ petition seeking for quashing the case was being filed with the High Court in 2003, which was rejected on September 6, 2007.

"Against that order, we have filed leave-to-appeal petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, upon which the highest Court has ordered for filing regular appeal for which 20 days time is necessary," the defence counsel told the Court.

Chief Public Prosecutor Advocate Shahiduzzaman did not oppose the plea.

Public Prosecutor (PP) Nurul Islam Talkder told journalists after the Court's sitting that they have requested the government to shift the Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court to the vicinity of Parliament building for trial on security ground since former Prime Minister is involved in the case.

The PP expressed the hope that the Court would be shifted accordingly by the next date of hearing on March 13.

The other accused in the case are-Air Commodore (retd) Mirza Akhter Faroque, former Air Chief Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed, former Joint Secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat, businessman Noor Ali, Syed Yousuf Hossain and ex-Army Chief General (retd) Mustafizur Rahman.