Finish trial of radar graft by March: HC

The High Court today directed the trial court to conclude trial proceedings of radar purchase scam against Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad and three others by March 31 next year.
The court also ordered the lower court concerned to record statements of 26 prosecution witnesses in the case. 
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission seeking its directives on the lower court to record statements from 26 out of 38 prosecution witnesses.

READ MORE: Ershad claims innocence in radar purchase case

The now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAC) filed the case with Cantonment police on May 4, 1992.
According to the case statement, Ershad in collusion with others allegedly caused a loss of Tk 64.04 crore to the state exchequer by purchasing radars from the US instead of France for the air force while he was in power.
On August 12, 1995, the trial court framed charges against Ershad and three others -- former air chief Sultan Mahmud and Mamtazuddin Ahmed, and director of United Traders Ltd AKM Musa. Musa has been absconding since the case was filed.
The trial court earlier recorded statements of 12 witnesses out of total 38 ones in the case, and started hearing arguments without recording testimony of the rest, lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Commission Khurshid Alam Khan said yesterday.