Dhaka: Bangladesh's High Court on Thursday
quashed a two-billion-dollar corruption case against Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina involving the awarding of three
offshore gas fields to Canadian firm Niko Resources.
The court, which began the final hearing on the
Hasina's petition yesterday, quashed the 2007 case involving
the awarding of three offshore gas fields to Canadian firm
Niko Resources during her first term as prime minister,
according to the Star online.
The Court threw out the case as it found it to be
"politically motivated". It was one of dozens of cases lodged
by the Anti-Corruption Commission under the previous interim
government on December 9, 2007.
It accused Hasina and six others of causing Tk 13.6
crore (about two billion dollars), loss to the state
exchequer.
Following Hasina's petition, the court had asked ACC
to explain why the case should not be quashed.
Earlier, the court had quashed all proceedings against
the Hasina in three corruption cases concerning Bangabandhu
Novo Theatre (planetarium) and the MiG-29 warplane purchase
corruption case on March 4 and 9 respectively, the report
said.
The court has thrown out scores of cases against the
Awami League supremo and her ministers after she took office
for the second time in January last year after a massive
victory in the December 2008 elections.
Ahead of the landmark poll, she was released as part
of a deal with the interim government to facilitate her
participation in the elections that brought her to power.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 11, 2010, 23:31