Prosecution fails to prove corruption charges against Khaleda: Moudud

BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said the prosecution has failed to prove the charges of corruption against Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust case, report agencies.

Moudud, one of the counsels for Khaleda in the case, said, "There is no witness against her in the case. ACC has failed to produce any evidence suggesting she is involved in any way or other in the case."

He was speaking to reporters on Tuesday outside the Special Court-5 set up at Bakshibazar in Dhaka on the fourth day of placing arguments in the case.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the makeshift court adjourned the argument hearing for the fourth day and ordered to place rest of the arguments on Thursday.

Khaleda's lawyer Abdur Rezak Khan placed the arguments that continued from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in her presence.

"The charges have been brought beyond the FIR (first information report). Sonali Bank was mentioned as the financial institution in the FIR but nothing is there though they have been saying all along that Khaleda Zia opened the account, took money, distributed fund and founded the trust through her daughter-in-law," he said.

Moudud said framing charges this way by using information outside FIR and without evidence was a violation of section 221 of the CrPC.

Rezak Khan referred to the ACC statement presented to the Supreme Court. He said ACC told Appellate Division that Khaleda Zia had abused her power when she was prime minister but it failed to provide any evidence.

"You cannot say anything (before court) based on guesswork."

"It is said in the charge sheet that Khaleda's approval was taken but there is no proof," he argued and added, "It is also not true that the Trust is invisible or traceless."

Three other lawyers for the BNP chief, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, AJ Mohammad Ali and Jamiruddin Sircar, are likely to take part in the arguments.

Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajol presented the State's arguments on December 20.