DHAKA: The High Court has accepted the appeals of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia filed against seven-year jail term in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case for hearing.
Besides, the court postponed the order of fine and confiscate and asked authorities concerned to submit documents of the case within two months.
A HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman on Tuesday (April 30) passed the order.
Senior lawyer Zainul Abedin stood for Khaleda Zia in the court while
Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the ACC and Attorney General Mahbubey Alam for the state.
When Khaleda Zia’s lawyer tried to place bail petitionthe court said, “At first, we need documents. Then, the bail petition will be heard. Here is no urgency in it. In another case, her sentence has been increased to 10 years. She did not secure bail in that case”.
Earlier on November 18 in 2018, the BNP chief has filed an appeal with with the concerned branch of the High Court challenging the lower court verdict that sentenced her seven years imprisonment in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
On October 29 last year, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court--5 sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 3 others to 7 years jail each, in much-hyped Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Moreover, all the four convicts have been fined Tk10 lakh each. They have to serve more 6 months in jail each, in case of defying the fine.
Three other convicts are—Khaleda Zia’s former political affairs secretary Harris Chowdhury, his former aide and former BIWTA acting director Ziaul Islam Munna, and former Dhaka city corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s personal secretary Monirul Islam Khan.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and three others with Tejgaon Police Station on August 8, 2010 for embezzling Tk3.15 crore from Zia Charitable Trust.
On February 8, a Dhaka court sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust case.
She was sent to Dhaka central jail following the verdict. Since then, she has been in jail.
BDST: 1224 HRS, APR 30, 2019
RS/SMS
