Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 1141 Tue. August 14, 2007  
   
Front Page


Hasina's Bail
Full bench SC hearing today


The hearing of the state petitions seeking stay on High Court orders granting bail to detained Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case and on halting the ACC notice, asking her for submitting wealth statement will be held in the Supreme Court today.

The government initiated the move seeking leave to appeal for overturning the two orders of the High Court that stalled the process of action against the former prime minister.

A full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin, will hear the state petitions, court sources said.

On August 7, the High Court, following a writ petition filed by Hasina, had granted her bail in connection with an extortion case filed by businessman Noor Ali and stalled the trial proceedings sans investigation. The court, on another writ petition filed by the AL chief, halted the operation of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) notice asking her to submit wealth statement.

In the writs, Hasina challenged the legality of government action regarding the extortion case she faces under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and the ACC notice asking her to submit wealth statement.

The extortion case under the EPR debars an accused from seeking bail until the case is resolved in trial courts.

Noor Ali filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on June 13, accusing Hasina and her cousin former Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Helal and his wife Rupa Chowdhury of extorting Tk 5 crore from him.

Police are now investigating the case.

About the legality of the ACC notice, Hasina submitted that the ACC does not have any legal authority to issue such notice depending on mere surmise.