UNB, Dhaka :
The High Court on Wednesday rejected two petitions seeking quashing of the trial court indictment order against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable and Orphanage Trust fund graft cases.
An HC division bench comprising Justice Borhanuddin and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the orders amid tight security in and around the apex court.
In the order, the HC said: “It appears from the trial court order that after reading out the charges, the accused pleaded not guilty. So, the plea has no substance and thereby stands rejected.”
Emerging from the court, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told reporters that the HC order cleared the way for conducting the trial of the long pending graft cases filed against the former Prime Minister and others.
After losing the legal battle, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, the principal counsel for Khaleda Zia, said he would go for appeal after consultation with the BNP chairperson and other senior lawyers.
Turning down the time plea, the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3, on March 19, framed charges against Khaleda Zia, her UK-living son Tarique Rahman and seven others, and set April 21 for starting the trial with recording the evidence of prosecution witnesses.
Khaleda Zia filed the revision appeals with the High Court on April 13 seeking quashing of the lower court indictment orders against her in the two graft cases. She also sought a stay order on the further trial court proceedings.
