Monday, January 31, 2011

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=172276

The ACC on August 5 last pressed charges against Khaleda, Tarique and four others.

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday adjourned till February 6 the hearing on a petition filed by BNP leader Tarique Rahman against a High Court (HC) order in a money laundering case against him.

The HC on September 29 rejected a petition of Tarique, senior vice- chairman of BNP, that challenged the proceedings of the case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.

Tarique later filed a leave to appeal petition with the SC against the HC order.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque passed the adjournment order upon a time prayer moved by barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, the principal counsel for Tarique.

Barrister Rafique prayed for time from the court due to his personal difficulties.

The ACC filed the case on October 26, 2009 with a Dhaka court against Tarique and his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun on charges of illegally sending Tk 20.41 crore to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday adjourned the hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others till March 15 in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Judge Mozammel Hossain of the Special Judge's Court-3 passed the order following a time petition filed on behalf of Khaleda and Tarique.

In the petition, the defendants' lawyers said they had earlier filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the case. The HC then issued a rule upon the government to explain why the proceedings of the case should not be declared illegal.

The court also asked the government not to oppose seriously if Khaleda Zia seeks adjournment of the trial court hearing till disposal of the rule, lawyers said.

Khaleda could not appear before the court due to security reasons while advocate Sanaullah Miah represented Tarique in his absence.

Two other accused Sharfuddin Ahmed and former BNP lawmaker Kazi Saleemul Haq Kamal were also absent from the court as they were busy with some other work.

The other two accused former principal secretary Dr Kamal Uddin Siddique and late president Ziaur Rahman's nephew Mominur Rahman have been absconding since the filing of the case.