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Niko Graft Case

Hearing on Hasina's bail appeal June 5

Staff Correspondent
A special court yesterday set lune 5 for a hearing on the bail petition tiled by detained former premier Sheikh Hasinain the Niko graft case.
Judge Amar Kumar Roy of the Special Court-2, set up on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, fixed die date following extensive arguments by both the defence and prosecution counsels.
The court also fixed June 5 for the next dale of hearing on charge framing against the Awami League president and eight others in the Niko graft case, following prayer by the defence.
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The defence said that they could not see necessary case documents or even consult with their client.
The detained chief of Avvami League (AL) was taken to the court around 9:55am. Two others accused in the case -- former power secretary Dr Toufique-e-Elahi Chowdhury and former state minister for power Prof Rafiqul Islam --were also produced before the court.
The defence filed three petitions before court after it sat at 10:00am.
The defence lawyers made a strong plea for Hasina's bail as they said the allegation against Hasina was false’, baseless' and politically motivated'.
They told the court that Sheikh Hasina had only approved a draft policy, which did not cause any loss to the government or the country.
The defence argued that there are no specific allegations against Sheikh Hasina in the First Information Report (FIR) and that the former premier is an elderly person who is also seriously ill and the ordinary law allows bail in such a situation.
They added that one of the charge-sheeted accused in the same case has been granted bail and similarly Hasina is also eligible for bail.
The prosecution strongly opposed Hasina's bail prayer.
They in turn argued that since the state of emergency is in place, there is no scope for bail petitions as per section 19Ga of the Emergency Power Rules (EPR), which revokes the right to seek bail by an accused facing graft charges under 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption (Prevention) Act 1947.
Advocates Syed Rezaur Rahman, Sahara Khatun, Abdul Mannan Khan and Quamrul Islam appeared for bail for Hasina while Chief Special Public Prosecutor Sharfuddin Khan Mukul and Syed Shameem Ahsan Habib stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC Deputy Director MM Sabbir Hasan filed the Niko graft case withTejgaon Police Station on December 9 last year