SC upholds stay orders on cases against Khaleda
FE REPORT | Monday, 24 August 2020
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld four High Court orders that stayed the trial proceedings of four cases filed against Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in 2015.
At the same time, the Appellate Division asked the concerned High Court bench to dispose of the rules issued in this regard.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after holding a virtual hearing on four separate petitions filed by the state against the High Court orders.
Earlier on August 17, the apex court upheld four other High Court orders that stayed the trial proceedings of more four cases filed against BNP chairperson.
Among the four cases, two were filed with Darus Salam Police Station on January 24, 2015 and one was filed with Jatrabari Police Station on January 29, 2015 under Special Powers Act and another case was filed on March 03, 2015 with Jatrabari Police Station under penal code.
Khaleda Zia filed petition with the High Court in 2017 against a trial court orders passed in 2016 for taking the charge sheets into cognizance in the cases.
The High Court on May 06, 07 and 16 May in 2017 stayed the trial proceedings of the four cases against former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
The bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah passed the orders and also issued rule after hearing four separate petitions filed by Khaleda challenging the legality of the lower court's orders. Later the state counsels filed appeal petitions with the Appellate Division against the High Court orders which came to the cause-list on Sunday.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan and Barrister Badruddoza Badol took part in the hearing on behalf of Khaleda Zia, while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state.
Appearing for Khaleda, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan argued that the lower court had taken into cognizance the charges of the arson cases although she was not named in the first information reports.