Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) is likely to hold hearing today (Wednesday) on an appeal petition filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) seeking increase of punishment awarded to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust case.
The appeal petition was submitted on Tuesday in the court of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim. The court said that the petition would be in the cause list of Wednesday for hearing. ACC’s lawyer Khurshed Alam Khan told the journalists, “The petition will come in the cause list on Wednesday. Hope, the court will hear the petition.”
The trial court jailed Khaleda Zia for five years in the case on February 8. The 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 Khurshed Alam Khan said. In its appeal the ACC prayed to the High Court to enhance the sentence given to Khaleda Zia in Zia OrphanageTrust case, he added. On February 8, Khaleeda 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 ACC 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 Khaleda Zia till March 18. The SC also directed both the parties to file leave to appeal petitions by this time.
Both the 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.
