Finish Barapukuria graft trial in 6 months: HC

The High Court has directed to finish trial proceedings of Barapukuria coal mine corruption case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and several others in six months.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM HafizulAlam came up with the order after hearing a petition filed by former BNP minister Aminul Haque, an accused of the case, seeking cancellation of the case proceedings.

The court rejected the petition and withdrew the stay order issued by this court in 2008 on the case proceedings.

Following the petition, the High Court on September 8, 2008 stayed the trial and on September 13 issued a rule asking the ACC and the government to explain why the proceedings should not be scrapped.

Barrister Aneek R Haque, the lawyer forformer minister Aminul, told The Daily Star that an appeal will be moved with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the High Court verdict.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Shahbagh police on February 26, 2008 accusing 16 people including Khaleda and 10 of her former cabinet colleagues of taking Tk 159 crore in kickbacks on the Barapukuria coalmine deal awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.