Dhaka – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday stayed a High Court order for one more week clearing the way for a subordinate court to resume trial proceedings against former Law Minister Moudud Ahmed in the Niko graft case.The three-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice S K Sinha extended the stay order after hearing. Earlier, on April 13, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain stayed the High Court order until the 7 th of this month. Before that, the High Court rejected a petition lodged by Barrister Moudud challenging the legality of this case.
On December 1 st , the High Court stayed the trial proceedings against Barrister Moudud in the case after hearing on his petition. However, the order was vacated after hearing on an appeal of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The anti-corruption watchdog on December 9, 2007 filed the case against Moudud Ahmed and four others in connection with a Tk 13,777 crore loss to the national exchequer and that was caused through signing an oil-gas exploration agreement with Niko Resources of Canada during the BNP rule.
Later on May 5, 2008, the ACC submitted the charge-sheet of the case against 11 persons. Canadian oil and gas exploration firm Niko Resources faced charges of negligence after several blowouts at the gas fields under its control in Bangladesh. – Special Correspondent
