Hearing on Khaleda\\\'s graft cases adjourned until June 18

A Dhaka court has turned down on Monday a petition by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's defence to scrap testimonies by the plaintiff of Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases, report agencies.
However, the third Special Judge's Court did accept their plea for more time to prepare for hearings and set the next date for June 18.The court will also hear the deposition of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) deputy director Harun-ur-Rashid, who is the plaintiff of the graft case against Khaleda, on that day.  Khaleda was present at the court when Judge Abu Ahmed Jamaddar gave the orders. She arrived at the court a little before 11am amid tight security for the hearing.Khaleda's lawyer Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain told reporters after the hearing that they would move a petition to the High Court against the tribunal's rejection of their petition to reject the plaintiff's deposition.
On August 08, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.  Besides, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 03, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda Zia, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK after securing bail, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 21m which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
On August 05, 2010, Harunur Rashid submitted a charge-sheet to the court in the case against six people, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.