Dhaka, April 23: Bangladesh’s High Court on Thursday quashed all proceedings against Premier Sheikh Hasina in a graft case involving installation of a power plant at a cost of Rs 11.5 crore, saying she was wrongly implicated in it for political reasons.
A High Court bench pronounced the order after hearing a petition filed by Hasina, also the Awami League chief, for quashing of the proceedings against her in the Meghnaghat power plant graft case.
The court, in its judgement, said that there was “no element of offence” against Hasina and that she was implicated in the case only to “politically harass” her.
On December 11, 2001, Gulam Mostafa, a director of the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAC), filed the case with Ramna Police Station, accusing former state minister for power Rafiqul Islam of misappropriating Taka 17.89 crore (Rs 11.5 crore) from the government exchequer during the process of installation of the Meghnaghat power plant in Narayanganj.
In the chargesheet submitted by the BAC on October 14, 2002, Hasina and three others were also made accused in the case.
The High Court on December 2, 2002 had stayed the proceedings against Hasina and asked the then BNP government of Khaleda Zia, Hasina’s arch and BAC to explain why the proceedings against Hasina in the case should not be quashed.
Earlier, Hasina got the bail from the lower court in the case.
After holding its final hearing on Hasina’s petition, the High Court pronounced its verdict today on quashing of the proceedings against her.
-PTI