SC clears way for Niko graft trial against Khaleda

The Supreme Court today cleared the way for the lower court concerned to resume the trial proceedings against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Niko corruption case.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha scrapped a High Court order that stayed the trial proceedings of the case.

The HC on March 7 stayed the trial proceeding in response to a petition filed by Khaleda seeking a stay on the trial of the case lodged by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The ACC filed the case in December 2007 accusing that Khaleda and several others had abused powers to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when she was the prime minister between 2001 and 2006.

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Former law minister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, and Vice-President (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif were also sued.