Zia Trust graft cases: Khaleda asked to appear before court Oct 26
Court Correspondent :
The Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka yesterday (Monday) passed orders directing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to appear in the court on October 26 in Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.
Judge Basudev Roy of the court passed the order at his makeshift court set up in front of Dhaka Aliya Madrasa, Bakshibazar in the capital.
The defense lawyers submitted four petitions on Monday. In the two petitions, time was citing security reasons again for the absence of Khaleda Zia, and
in the other two petitions, adjournment of recording the depositions of the witnesses was sought.
On September 22, a petition was filed expressing no confidence with this court and to move the issue to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court for disposal.
On Monday, Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court conducted the hearings on the petitions and the court granted two petitions of Khaleda Zia, which cited security reasons for her absence in the court on the day. However, other two petitions seeking adjournment of recording the depositions of the witnesses were rejected.
The two petitions pleaded deferment of depositions in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases as two pleas of BNP Chief in the cases are yet to be disposed of at the Appellate Division.
On September 22, the court recorded part of deposition of first witness, and also plaintiff of the cases, Deputy Director of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Harun-ar-Rashid.
On Mar 19, charges were framed against eight, including Khaleda Zia, and her elder son Tarique Rahman in the two cases filed for embezzlement.
The BNP Chief on May 12 challenged the legality of the appointment of Judge Basudeb Roy. On May 25, the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo delivered a split verdict on the plea about the legality of the judge’s appointment.
Justice Farah Mahbub issued a ruling and ordered a freeze on the proceedings of the cases, while Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo wanted to scrap the petitions.