SC fixes Sept 14 for order on Khaleda\\\'s petitions

The Appellate Division on Thursday concluded hearing on 2 leave-to-appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia against a High Court order rejecting the 2 petitions challenging the legality of the appointment of a special judge who framed charges against the former prime minister in two graft cases. After the hearing, a five-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice M Muzammel Hossain, fixed September 14 for order. Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Advocate Joynal Abedin appeared for Khaleda Zia while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the state. The hearing on the 2 leave-to-appeal petitions began on September 4. On March 19 this year, Basudev Roy the judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court-3 framed charges against the BNP chief, her son Tarique Rahman and 7 other people rejecting their time petitions in Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust corruption cases. Khaleda filed separate revision appeals with the HC on April 13, seeking to quash the lower court indictment orders against her in the 2 cases. However, the HC on Apr 23 rejected the 2 petitions. Later, she filed 2 writ petitions with the HC on May 12 and the HC dismissed her writs on June 19. On July 7, the BNP chief filed 2 criminal petitions (CPs) for leave-to-appeal with the Appellate Division against 2 High Court orders in connection with the 2 graft cases. Two criminal petitions (CPs) for leave-to-appeal were filed against a High Court order that rejected her 2 writ petitions in the Zia Charitable Trust and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases. Two civil miscellaneous petitions (CMPs) were filed against an HC order rejecting the petitions challenging the legality of the appointment of special judge Basudev Roy. On August 8, 2011, the Anti Corruption Commission 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 3, 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 21 million (2.1 crore) which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans. On Aug 5, 2010, ACC deputy director Harunur Rashid filed a charge-sheet to the court in the case against six people, including Khaleda Zia, according to a news agency.