Dhaka – The Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka once again adjourned the hearing in Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases lodged against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and others till January 12, on Thursday. Judge Abu Ahmad Jamadar of the court deferred the submission of Begum Khaleda Zia’s statement in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
On Thursday, Khaleda Zia appeared to the court in the morning and the court fixed January 12 to conclude hearing on the BNP Chief’s defence statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Previously, on December 21, the court deferred the hearing on Khaleda Zia’a presentation of self defence to January 5.
The makeshift court set up at Old Dhaka's Baskhibazar has been conducting trial of Khaleda Zia in these two graft cases. The defence sought fresh deposition of a prosecution witness yesterday (Thursday) in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
In 2008, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against six persons including Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman. The prosecution alleged that the defendants had embezzled Tk 21 million from funds meant for the trust, which reportedly came from a foreign bank.
In 2011, the ACC, anti-corruption watchdog sued the BNP Chief and three others for embezzlement of Tk 31.5 million of the Zia Charitable Trust, abusing official jurisdiction. ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid, and also an Investigation Officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet of the case to the court against the accused on January 16, 2012. – Special Correspondent
