Dhaka, Oct 2 (bdnews24.com) – The chamber judge of the Supreme Court Tuesday sent the government appeal against former prime minister Khaleda Zia's bail, without staying it, for a full bench hearing Thursday.

The chamber judge also did not freeze the High Court stay order on cases against Arafat Rahman Coco and Tarique Rahman, sons of Khaleda, former BNP ministers Moudud Ahmed, Nazmul Huda and his wife, Sigma.

Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, counsel for Khaleda, said: "Khaleda Zia is still on bail as the Supreme Court chamber judge has not stayed the High Court order."

The latest development came a day after the government and the Anticorruption Commission sought Supreme Court stays on the High Court bail to the former prime minister and the GATCO corruption case proceedings.

The High Court Monday halted the proceedings of the corruption cases against Tarique, Khaleda's elder son, and Moudud.

The bench of justices Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury had also halted a corruption case against Nazmul Huda and his wife.

The same judges Sunday granted bail to Khaleda, detained in jail since September 3 in the GATCO scam case.

All of the defendants had filed writ petitions for freeze on case proceedings, prompting the High Court to ask the government and the ACC to explain why the ACC notice and filing and proceedings of the three cases based on the notice were not illegal.

Barrister Huq, counsel for the writ petitioners, told journalists, "The court of the chamber judge has not stayed the bail to Khaleda Zia. It means her bail continues. There is no bar to her release. The Supreme Court full bench will hold the hearing on Thursday."

Additional attorney general Salahuddin Ahmed told bdnews24.com, "The court of the chamber judge has not stayed the High Court order. The full bench of the Appellate Division will hear it on Thursday.

Earlier in the hearing, he appealed for stay of the High Court order.

Barrister Huq said, "The High Court has stayed the proceedings of the four cases. However, the High Court said the investigation into the cases will continue."

Ahmed differed. "It cannot be so that the investigation of the cases will continue but their proceeding will remain suspended."

The government and the ACC on Monday appealed to the court of the chamber judge of the Appellate Division for a stay on Khaleda's bail in the GATCO corruption case. The court fixed Tuesday for hearing on the appeal.

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