Dhaka, June 21 – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is set to hear on Sunday on the leave-to-appeal petitions filed on behalf of the State challenging the High Court orders that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in two criminal cases filed in Comilla. The two petitions have been included in Sunday’s cause-list of the Appellate Division as item Nos 10 and 11 for hearing, according to the Supreme Court website published yesterday.
On behalf of the State, two leave-to-appeal petitions were submitted to the Appellate Division seeking cancellation of the High Court orders that granted bail to Khaleda Zia in two cases filled in Comilla.
The petitions say that the High Court has failed to consider the fact that the incidents of killing and vandalism took place at the instruction and instigation of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and she cannot get bail in the cases filed in connection with the incidents, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told newsmen. On May 28, the High Court granted bail for six months to Khaleda Zia in two cases.
One of the cases was filed in connection with vandalizing vehicles in Comilla’s Chouddagram area on January 25, 2015. The other was filed over killing seven people and injuring 25 to 26 others setting fire on a bus in Chouddagram on February 2, 2015.
According to the stay petitions filed, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division on May 29 stayed the High Court orders of bail and sent the stay petitions to the full bench for hearing on May 31.
After hearing the stay petitions, a three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on May 31 extended its Chamber Judge’s order and asked the State to file two separate leave to appeal petitions with this court by June 24 against the High Court bail orders in the cases. The apex court also fixed June 24 for hearing on the leave to appeal petitions.
On May 16, the Appellate Division upheld a High Court order that granted four month’s bail to Khaleda in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case in which she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the trial court.
But, Khaleda Zia, who landed in the prison on February 8, could not walk out as she was shown arrested in seven other cases filed in Comilla, Dhaka and Narail. – Staff Reporter
