Writs challenge charge-framing against Khaleda

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday filed two write petitions with the High Court (HC) challenging the legality of charge-framing against her in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases. Khaleda’s counsel Mohammad Asaduzzaman filed the writ on her behalf. The writs also sought a stay order on the further trial proceedings of the two graft cases. Khaleda’s another counsel Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan said as per the section 3 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1958, a gazette notification has to be issued on the appointment of a judge to a special court. “However, no gazette was issued on the appointment of special judge Basudev Roy who framed charges in the two cases. So, the holding of the trial proceedings by the judge was not lawful,” he said, according to a news agency.