ZCZC
BSS-20
DATE-HEARING-INDICTMENT-NIKO
Niko graft case hearing deferred again
DHAKA, Sept 15, 2020 (BSS) – A Dhaka court today set October 20 to hold a hearing on charge framing in Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and others.
Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka 9th special judge court passed the order this morning at the newly built courtroom in front of Keraniganj Central Jail.
Today was set for holding hearing on charge framing, but prime accused Begum Khaleda Zia refrained from appearing before the court on health ground, making his counsel Zia Uddin Zia to file a time plea again.
Accepting the plea, the court adjourned the hearing till October 20
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against five including Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007, for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.
The ACC on May 5, 2008, submitted the charge-sheet against 11 people including Khaleda Zia. The ACC accused them of incurring a loss of more than Taka 13 thousand crore of state exchequer by that deal.
BSS/cor-MHR/QC/1500 hrs