Khaleda to be tried for Barapukuria scam

Staff Correspondent: The High Court (HC) has rejected a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the trial proceedings of Barapukuria coalmine corruption case against her.

A HC bench comprising with Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed delivered the verdict on Thursday.

The HC verdict cleared the way for a trial court to resume its proceedings against the BNP chief in the corruption case that was stayed earlier. 

On August 30, the bench of Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice Abdur Rob kept the petition curia advisori vult CAV (legal Latin term meaning verdict will be delivered anytime) after hearing on a previous rule on the issue.

The BNP chief filed the petitions on August 18 in order to know the legal procedure under which the ACC appointed the second investigation officer (IO) to probe the case after the first IO had exempted her from it in June 2008.

The ACC filed the case on February 26, 2008 accusing Khaleda 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.

Later, the HC stayed the case proceedings for several times and issued a rule on the government and the ACC to explain why the case against Khaleda should not be scrapped.     


risingbd/Sept 17, 2015/Mehadi/Aminul