DHAKA: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected a plea of the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s lawyers seeking a short verdict copy of the latest apex court order that cleared way for her bail in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hussain passed the order, two and half hours after announcing the verdict upholding a High Court order that granted bail for Khaleda Zia, on Wednesday (May 16). 

The SC also disposed the petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the government, challenging a High Court order that granted bail to the BNP chief.

However, Khaleda Zia’s lawyer AJ Mohamamd Ali told the court that they need a brief verdict copy as they want to submit a ‘bail bond’.

“There is no instance of providing a copy after delivering the verdict”, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said, in response.

Lawyers now think that Khaleda Zia won’t get release from the jail as she hasn’t been given bail in her other cases.

However, the High Court on March 12 granted 4-month bail for Khaleda in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Earlier, she landed in jail on February 8, after being sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the same case. 

Afterwards, the apex court stayed the HC bail order following the petitions filed by the ACC and the government.

BDST: 1513 HRS, MAY 16, 2018
SI/SMS