The High Court is set to deliver its verdict on Tuesday on four petitions filed over the lower court verdict sentencing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and two others in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.An HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman fixed the date on Monday.
Earlier in the morning, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by the BNP chief seeking extension of time for disposal of the appeal petition and another one seeking deposition by more witnesses in the graft case, directing for disposing of the appeal by October 31.The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyers placed the Appellate Division order before the High Court at noon and the HC fixed the date around 4pm.
The BNP chief filed a petition challenging the court verdict sentencing her to five years’ imprisonment in graft case. In her petition, she sought her acquittal.The Anti-Corruption Commission filed a revision appeal seeking her sentence to be extended to life imprisonment.
On February 8, the Dhaka Special Court-5 convicted the former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the graft case.She secured four months’ bail from the High Court in the case on March 12.
Khaleda filed the petition with the High Court against her sentence on February 19, while jailed two more convicts — Kazi Solimul Haque Kamal and Sarfuddin Ahmed — also appealed against their sentences.The ailing BNP chief is now undergoing medical treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
source: UNB
