Gatco graft case: Mosharraf’s bail scrapped

The High Court today cancelled its order that granted bail to former BNP minister of state for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain in the Gatco corruption case.

The High Court vacated its earlier order that stayed the trial proceeding against Mosharraf and ordered him to surrender to the lower court concerned in 60 days in connection with the case.

The HC bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman came up with the verdict after holding final hearing on a petition filed by Mosharraf in 2008.

Following the petition, the High Court on August 13, 2008 granted bail to Mosharraf, staying the case proceedings against him and issued a rule upon the ACC and the government to explain why the proceedings of the case against him should not be scrapped.

Today after final hearing the High Court cancelled its earlier order and ordered him to surrender to the lower court.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that Mosharraf has to surrender before the special judge’s court 3 of Dhaka in 60 days after receiving the verdict.

The Gatco graft case was filed in September, 2007 against the BNP chief and 12 others on charges of corruption in awarding Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Co Ltd (Gatco) a contract for container management at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.

The graft allegedly cost the state exchequer a lot of over Tk 1,000 crore.

Following petitions filed in 2008, the HC stayed the case proceedings and issued rules on the government and Anti-Corruption Commission to explain why the cases against her should not be scrapped.