Dhaka, Mar 20 (Just News): The Anti-Corruption Commission said Tuesday that it would appeal in the High Court Division to increase the jail term of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust case.
ACC director general for Legal and Prosecution wing Moyeedul Islam told an English daily that the appeal would be filed as the ACC felt aggrieved over handing lesser sentence to Khaleda Zia than the others though she was the principal accused in the case.
The trial court handed jail term to Khaleda Zia for five years, but to 10 years to each of Tarique Rahman, her son, and four others.
Moyeedul said that ACC would submit its prayer to increase Khaleda Zia’s jail term under Section 417A of Code of the Criminal Procedure because the Criminal Law Amendment Act under which she was tried has no provision to increase her sentence.
He said that the ACC lawyer had been instructed to file the appeal by April 8.
The ACC announced its decision on Monday to appeal to increase the former prime minister’s jail term shortly after the Appellate Division extended the stay on her bail and allowed the government and the ACC to appeal against the High Court order that had granted the bail to her.
The Appellate Division announced it would on May 8 hear the appeals to be filed by the government and the ACC.
(Justnews/ys/2300hr)
