The High Court on Wednesday started hearing on a revision petition filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking to quash the trial court indictment orders against her in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases.
An HC bench comprising Justice Borhanuddin and Justice KM Kamrul Kader adjourned the hearing until Thursday after the day’s proceedings.
Khandker Mabub Hossain and former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali assisted by Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon stood for the BNP chief while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy AG Mohammad Selim represented the state.
On Sunday, Khaleda Zia filed the revision appeal with the High Court seeking to quash the lower court indictment orders against her in the two graft cases.
She also sought a stay order on the further trial court proceedings.
Framing the charges, the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 on March 19 set April 21 for starting the trial with recording the evidence of prosecution witnesses, rejecting her time petition in both the cases.
The charge-framing hearing in the two cases had been adjourned 50 times in the last two years, according to the counsel for the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.
Besides, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK after securing bail, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
On August 5, 2010, Harunur Rashid submitted a charge-sheet to the court in the case against six people, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Source: UNB Connect
