Dhaka: The long-pending rule seeking to invalidate the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case filed against former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will come up on Tuesday’s cause list for fixing the date of hearing before the High Court.

An HC division bench, comprising Justice M Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order, following a petition moved by the counsel for the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

During the military-backed caretaker government, the ACC on February 26, 2008 filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station in the capital accusing Khaleda Zia and others, including her former 10 cabinet colleagues, of taking kickbacks amounting to about Tk 159 crore on the Barapukuria Coalmine deal awarded to the highest bidder instead of the lowest one.

Nearly six and half years back, responding to a petition filed by the principal accused Khalea Zia, the High Court on October 16, 2008 had stayed the case proceedings and issued a rule upon the ACC to explain why the case filed against the accused should not be quashed.

Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the anti-graft watchdog.