Dhaka, March 28 – The High Court Division of the Supreme Court yesterday issued a rule asking BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and the government to explain as to why the imprisonment term of the BNP leader in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case should not be enhanced.The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim issued the rule hearing a revision petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) seeking enhancement of Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment.
The apex court said the rule will be heard along with the appeal filed by Khaleda Zia challenging the lower court verdict that sentenced her to five years imprisonment in the case.
The ACC filed the revision petition with the High Court challenging the trial court verdict about Khaleda Zia in the case saying that it was inadequate, which the lower court pronounced.
The ACC petition said, five other accused of the same case were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. But, the lower court sentenced Khaleda, who is the principle accused of the case, to five years’ imprisonment which is inadequate, the ACC said in the petition. Thus, the anti-graft body ACC prayed to the High Court to enhance the sentence of Khaleda Zia.
On February 8, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sentenced to five-years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
Her son and BNP’s Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and four others were given 10 years’ imprisonment in the case and a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each in the case ahead of the coming parliamentary election. – Special Correspondent
Meanwhile, The Special Court-5 of Dhaka yesterday extended BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia bail till April 5 in Zia Charitable Trust graft case. Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman, Judge of the court passed the order on Wednesday.
The BNP Chairperson was not produced in the court yesterday although strict security measures were taken in the court area on the occasion. It has been learned that Khaleda Zia was not produced before the court due to her sickness.
Earlier on March 13, the same court ordered the prison authorities to produce the BNP leader in the court on March 28 and 29 on the occasion of submission of arguments in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Earlier, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal had applied to the court to produce Khaleda Zia before the court. He said, it is not possible to place arguments in the case without the presence of Khaleda Zia in the court. So the court ordered Khaleda Zia to appear before the court on the fixed date.
On August 8, 2010, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Model Police Station accusing four persons including Khaleda Zia for misappropriating over Tk 3 crore 15 lakh 43 thousand that came as grant from a foreign bank for orphans.
On February 8, the Special Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. He was then taken to the prison of old Dhaka. – Special Correspondent
