Staff Reporter :
A High Court (HC) judge on Wednesday felt embarrassed to hear a petition filed by former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed challenging the legality of the trial proceedings in the Niko case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against him.
ACC Counsel Khurshed Alam Khan said that Justice M Enayetur Rahim, who led a HC Division Bench,
felt embarrassed citing his personal difficulties.
Now the petition will be sent to the Chief Justice as per rule and then he (Chief Justice) will send the petition to a new bench for hearing, said the counsel.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed was present in the court during the time.
Earlier on December 1 last year, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings against Moudud in the case and issued a rule asking the Anti-Corruption Commission and the government to explain as to why the proceedings against Moudud should not be quashed.
On December 11, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court order and asked the High Court Bench to hear and dispose of the rule by January 19.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Niko graft case on December 9 in 2007 against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and three others on charge of incurring a loss of Tk 13,777 crore to the State Exchequer by awarding a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when they were in power between 2001 and 2006.
Former State Minister for Energy A K M Mosharraf Hossain, former Acting Energy Secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam and Vice-President (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif have also been sued in the case.
A High Court (HC) judge on Wednesday felt embarrassed to hear a petition filed by former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed challenging the legality of the trial proceedings in the Niko case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against him.
ACC Counsel Khurshed Alam Khan said that Justice M Enayetur Rahim, who led a HC Division Bench,
felt embarrassed citing his personal difficulties.
Now the petition will be sent to the Chief Justice as per rule and then he (Chief Justice) will send the petition to a new bench for hearing, said the counsel.
Barrister Moudud Ahmed was present in the court during the time.
Earlier on December 1 last year, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings against Moudud in the case and issued a rule asking the Anti-Corruption Commission and the government to explain as to why the proceedings against Moudud should not be quashed.
On December 11, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court order and asked the High Court Bench to hear and dispose of the rule by January 19.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Niko graft case on December 9 in 2007 against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and three others on charge of incurring a loss of Tk 13,777 crore to the State Exchequer by awarding a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko when they were in power between 2001 and 2006.
Former State Minister for Energy A K M Mosharraf Hossain, former Acting Energy Secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam and Vice-President (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif have also been sued in the case.
