The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will give order on two leave to appeal petitions of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Monday (November 11).
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, passed the order in the morning after holding hearing on the two separate petitions filed by the BNP chief, challenging the High Court order that extended her jail term in the case.
Senior advocates Zainul Abedin and AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Advocate Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal and Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan stood for Khaleda Zia, while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Asif Hasan argued for the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) respectively.
There are no legal documents with Begum Khaleda Zia's signature, the fund is intact in the bank, so how can they convict Begum Khaleda Zia for money embezzlement?" Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told reporters.
"This infamous case was filed with a political scheme. The lower court concerned in February 2018, gave the judgment illegally. The High Court after that being politically biased, gave a judgment illegally, enhanced Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," another defence counsel Barrister Kayser Kamal said.
Meanwhile, Begum Khaleda Zia's lawyer Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said during the hearing, that the defence argued that the lower court and the High Court sentenced her based on proofs those do not have any evidential values, adding "That's why we pleaded for quashing of the judgments of the lower court and the High Court as well."
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8, 2018, convicted Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
It also sentenced five others including her son and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to 10 years' imprisonment each.
On October 30, 2018, the High Court extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years.
bd-pratidin/GR
