Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Sunday deferred the date to deliver its verdict on the petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking her exoneration from Barapukuria coalmine corruption case till April 5.
The HC bench of Justice M Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan deferred the date of judgement for the second time considering a time petition from the defence.
Advocate Bodroddoza Badal, the counsel of Khaleda, moved a time petition as the senior defence counsel Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon were unable to appear before the court due to their personal difficulties.
Khandaker Mahbub Hossain is contesting in the election of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the post of President, while Mahbub Uddin Khokon is taking part in the polls for the secretary’s post.
The two-day election of SCBA is going to end today (Monday).
The court also deferred the date for judgement earlier on March 5, acceding to a request from the counsel of Khaleda Zia.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Barapukuria coalmine corruption case on February 26, 2008, accusing Khaleda and 15 others of causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer.
Khaleda Zia allegedly abused her power to award the contract for the operation of Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese company.
