DHAKA: The Supreme Court dismissed plea of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the High Court verdict that declared legal the appointment of a lower court judge who framed charges against her in two graft cases.

A five-member appellate division bench led-by Chief Justice Mozammel Hossain passed the order on Sunday morning.

Khaleda’s lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali moved for the petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Khurshid Alam Khan stood on behalf of the state. 

On May 12, Khaleda Zia filed the writ petition challenging legality of appointment of the judge who framed charge against Khaleda and six others at trial court.

Later on June 19, HC single bench of Justice Kazi Razaul Huq rejected the writ.

On July 07, Khaleda Zia filed two petitions to appellate division challenging the HC order that rejected writ challenging the legality of judge appointment.

She also sought stay order on trial proceedings of the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases in the trial court.

On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, for 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 and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.

BDST: 1019 HRS, SEP 14, 2014