The Supreme Court yesterday started hearing the plea of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed against a High Court order that rejected her petition challenging legality of the appointment of a judge conducting two corruption cases.
The five-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Mozammel Hossain after a hearing set September 7 for further proceedings.
Lawyer Zoynul Abedin read out the High Court order on behalf of Khaleda.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam attended the hearing on behalf of the state and lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The trial of Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases, in which Khaleda is the prime accused, already began in the Third Special Judge’s Court of Judge Basudev Roy. Khaleda had to appear before the court on Wednesday.
But the special court has set September 10 for recording deposition of the complainant after the defence filed two petitions seeking adjournment.
On May 12, Khaleda Zia filed the writ petition challenging legality of appointment of the judge who framed charge against Khaleda and six others at trial court. On June 19, High Court’s single bench of Justice Kazi Razaul Huq rejected the petition.
On July 07, Khaleda filed two petitions with the Appellate Division challenging the rejection order. She also sought stay order on the trial proceedings.
On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon police station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, for abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
The ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on July 3, 2008 accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others for misappropriating over Tk2.10 crore, which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.