Graft charges against Hasina in Mig purchase quashed
By IANSMonday, March 8, 2010
DHAKA - The Dhaka High Court in Bangladesh Tuesday quashed the charges of corruption against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed in the procurement of Russian fighter plane Mig-29.
The court observed that there was no element of misappropriation of state fund by the prime minister in this case, which was filed with an ulterior motive to damage her image and popularity.
The case was filed during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, accusing Hasina and six others of incurring financial losses of $129 million to the state exchequer in the purchase of eight Russian MiG-29 aircraft during her pervious regime from 1996-2001.
The high court bench comprising Justices A.H.M. Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Borhan Uddin pronounced the judgment in response to a writ petition filed by Hasina challenging the proceedings, The Daily Star reported.
The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station December 11, 2001.
Following the petition filed by Hasina, the high court, Sep 18, 2008, stayed the trial against her and issued notices to the government, the ACC and the trial court asking them to explain why framing of charges against Hasina in her absence should not be declared illegal.
March 4, the same bench of the high court quashed all proceedings against the prime minister in three other corruption cases.
