Framing of charges in two corruption cases involving former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has again been deferred.
Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judges Court on Wednesday fixed Jun 16 for indictment hearings on cases of alleged graft in Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable trust.
The hearing for the cases has been deferred several times as Khaleda Zia did not appear.
She skipped the hearing on Wednesday as her lawyer Sanaullah Miah pleaded for more time.
He pleaded that Khaleda Zia is busy preparing for the upcoming budget session that begins on June 3 and does not have the time to attend the court.
Acting Judge Mohammad Mozammel Haque deferred the hearing to Jun 3 after holding a short hearing on Wednesday.
Earlier on January 15, Metropolitan Senior Special Judges’ Mohammd Zahurul Haque took cognizance on Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Khaleda Zia’s last appearance before the court was on January 15 when she was granted permanent bail in the Zia Charitable graft case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission on July 3, 2008 filed a lawsuit with the Ramna police alleging misappropriation over TK 21 million which came as grants from a foreign bank for the orphans.
On Aug 5, 2010 the ACC pressed charges in court against Khaleda, her elder son and BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman and four others.
Among the other accused in the case are former BNP MP Kazi Saleemul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed who are out on bail , while Khaleda’s former Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Uddin Siddique and late President Ziaur Rahman’s nephew Momenur Rahman have been absconding.
Tarique Rahman left the country for London for medical treatment after obtaining bail from the Supreme Court in 2008.
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case on Aug 8, 2011 alleging abuse of power to raise funds for the trust from undeclared sources and committing financial irregularities in purchase of land for it.
The national anti-graft agency pressed charges against Khaleda and three others on Jan 15 last year.
The others accused in the case are Khaleda’s former Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, personal secretary of the political secretary Ziaul Islam Munna and Manirul Islam Khan, former personal secretary of the Mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation, Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Harris Chowdhury is absconding while Munna and Khan have managed bail from the court.
Source: Bd news24
