Zia Orphanage Trust Case

HC asked to hear Khaleda Zia’s plea

HC asked to hear Khaleda Zia’s plea

Dhaka, July 12 (Just News): The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today asked the High Court Division to start hearing on BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s appeal challenging the lower court verdict that sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust Corruption Case.

The apex court said Khaleda Zia’s lawyer can seek time from this court if the High Court cannot finish the hearing on her appeal by July 31.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order following two separate petitions filed by Khaleda seeking review of its May 16 order that directed the High Court bench led by Justice M Enayetur Rahim to conclude hearing on the appeal of Khaleda Zia by July 31.

The apex court today kept the review petition of Khaleda Zia standover (pending) till July 31.

Meanwhile, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice MD Mustafizur Rahman is scheduled to start hearing on four appeals in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case.

Of the four pleas, one was filed by the BNP chief seeking acquittal of the charges, a revision petition was filed by ACC seeking increase in Khaleda's jail term and two others were filed by convicts -- Qazi Saleemul Huq alias Qazi Kamal and Sharfuddin Ahmed -- seeking their acquittal of the charges in the case.

On February 8, the Special Judge's Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to five years' imprisonment after finding her guilty in the graft case filed by the ACC.

The court also jailed Tarique Rahman, now the acting chairman of BNP, and four others to 10 years imprisonment and fined them Tk 2.1 crore.

 

(Justnews/ys/1120hr)