DHAKA: Barapukuria graft case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will continue in the lower court as High Court has rejected her plea challenging legitimacy of the case.

An HC bench comprising Justice M Nuruzzaman and Justice Abdur Rab passed the order on Thursday.

Earlier, the court has rejected some petitions of Khaleda Zia clearing the way for the lower court to continue trial proceedings against her in Gatco, Niko, Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on February 26, 2008 accusing Khaleda Zia and 15 others of causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract of operating Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company, abusing power.

In response to the petition filed by Khaleda Zia in 2008, the HC stayed the trial proceedings and granted her bail in the case.

The HC also issued a rule upon the ACC and the government to explain why the proceedings against Khaleda Zia should not scrapped.

BDST: 1210 HRS, SEP 17, 2015
AKA/SMS