The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The High Court refused to hear appeals by five accused to quash the Barapukuria coalmine graft case on Sunday.

The HC bench of justices Syed AB Mahmudul Haque and Moinul Islam Chowdhury said they were embarrassed to hear the appeals, and sent the documents to the chief justice to take further action in this regard.

The five appellants are former ministers M Saifur Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid.

The hearing may be held by another bench selected by the chief justice.

"But the chief justice has not sent the appeals to any other bench yet," said Barrister Fahim-ul-Hoque, one of the appellants' lawyers.

The same bench on Oct 14 returned an appeal to quash the case filed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, one of the main accused in the case.

Another HC bench of justices Syed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain and Farid Ahmed stayed the case proceedings against Khaleda Zia for three months on Oct 16.

The Anticorruption Commission pressed charges against 16 people in the case on Oct 5.

The commission filed the case on Feb 26 accusing the then government leaders of incurring losses of Tk 158.71 core to the state due to an agreement with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).