Khaleda, Tarique indicted in graft cases

A court here on Wednesday framed charges against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and seven others rejecting their time petition in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases. Judge Basudev Roy of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 passed the order and fixed April 21 for starting the trial. When the judge rejected the time petition, a chaotic situation was created in the courtroom due to heated arguments by the defence lawyers. At one stage, the judge left the courtroom. Khaleda Zia appeared before the special judge court today (Wednesday) for hearing on charge framing against her and others. She entered the court room at 12:55 pm. A Dhaka court on February 16 fixed March 19 for the hearing on charge framing against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and others in the two graft cases. They submitted the time petition as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has not yet given any decision against the High Court order that rejected the appeal of the accused that two cases cannot run together, said Taherul Islam Touhid, a defence counsel. Khaleda Zia earlier appeared before the court on January 15 last year in the two cases, according to a news agency.