Khaleda challenges Gatco case

Dhaka, July 10 (bdnews24.com) – Former prime minister Khaleda Zia submitted a writ petition with the High Court on Thursday challenging the legality of the Gatco graft case against her. Lawyer Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas filed the writ petition on behalf of the BNP chief. A High Court bench is scheduled to hear the petition Sunday. Khaleda has appealed to the court to cancel the case and to stay the proceedings of the case in lower court as an initial step. In her challenge against the case, Khaleda also sought a rule nisi on the government to explain why filing and proceedings of the case should not be declared illegal. The chairman of the Anticorruption Commission, the home secretary and Dhaka Special Judge's Court-3 were among those made respondents to the petition. Approval to file the case and submit the chargesheet in the case was not undertaken by the authorities following due legal procedure, claims the petition. An ACC commissioner approved the case, not the ACC, according to the petition. Nor does the ACC have the authority to examine the activities of Khaleda Zia prime minister, which were carried out as per 'the rules of business', it claims. The former prime minister submitted a previous writ petition to the HC, on Sept 27 last year, challenging the transfer of the Gatco case under emergency powers rules. On Sept 30, the HC stayed the proceedings against Khaleda in the Gatco case and granted her bail. On Oct 4, the Appellate Division put freezes on the HC ruling for three weeks. The ACC later appealed to the Appellate Division to extend the period. The ACC filed the case against Khaleda Zia, son Arafat Rahman Coco and 11 others with Tejgaon Police Station on Sept 2 last year, on charges of awarding Global Agro Trade Company a cargo-handling deal through misuse of power. Joint forces arrested Khaleda and Coco on Sept 3 last year in the case. The case was brought under emergency powers rules on Sept 18. ACC deputy director Mohammad Zahirul Huda submitted a chargesheet in the case to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court for Dhaka on May 13 accusing 25 people.