Dhaka: Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was today indicted by a special court in a second graft case under the stringent emergency power rules and faces 12-year imprisonment if found guilty.

An angry Hasina, who was arrested in July last year by the military-backed interim government under its anti-graft drive, told Judge Mohammad Feroz Alam that the charges against her were a "politically motivated" and questioned the impartiality of the court.

"Will you be able to judge my case without being biased? .... Allah is above us, and the people of Bangladesh are there. I'm not afraid of anyone but Allah," she said.

The judge indicted 61-year-old Hasina along with seven others, mostly officials and fixed May 20 for the start of the trial, officials said.

The powerful Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has accused the Awami League chief of accepting Taka three crore (Rs 1.8 crore) in bribe for contracting out the installation work of power plant to a foreign company by defying bidding conditions.

Lawyers said if found guilty, Hasina, who was the prime minister from 1996 to 2001, might be sentenced to 12 years in jail.

After her indictment, Hasina told the court "If you were an independent professional dispensing justice, I'd have been acquitted of the charges today.

"Since you are not independent, hence this charge framing against me in spite of the fact that I m innocent," she said.
Source : PTI