Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday filed an appeal petition with the High Court (HC) to increase the punishment awarded to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust case.
The trial court jailed Khaleda Zia for five years in the case on February 8.
ACC on Sunday submitted the petition to the High Court saying that the five other accused in the same case were given 10 years imprisonment. But the lower court sentenced Khaleda Zia, the prime accused, five years imprisonment only. It is inadequate, ACC’s lawyer advocate Khurshed Alam Khan told the journalists.
The ACC in the appeal prayed to the High Court to enhance the sentence given to Khaleda in Zia OrphanageTrust case, he added.He said, he will take steps for holding hearing on the petition in the HC on Wednesday.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was jailed for five years in Zia Orphanage case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2008.
Judge of the Special Court-5 of Dhaka also sentenced Khaleda Zia’s eldest son and BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, and four others to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each.
On March 12, the High Court bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim granted bail to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for four months in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Commission and the government filed two separate appeal petitions against the HC order to stay the bail on the following day.
On March 14, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court order that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia till March 18. The SC also directed both the parties to file leave to appeal petitions by this time.
The both parties filed leave to appeal petitions on March 15 and the SC heard those petitions on March 18. After concluding hearing the SC stayed the bail till May 8.
