DHAKA: The High Court (HC) on Monday rejected BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s plea to cancel the deposition of first witness and plaintiff of Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

An HC bench comprising Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order after holding hearing at noon.

Khaleda’s lawyers -- AJ Mohammad Ali, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Mahbub Uddin Khokon -- filed the plea with the court on June 15 seeking its directives to take new deposition dismissing previous deposition.

They said as per regulations, deposition should be taken in presence of the defendant whereas deposition was taken in five dates when Khaleda Zia was absent in the court.

The lawyers also sought for a rule on why the deposition would not be dismissed and plead to stop proceedings of the case till settlement of the rule.

The government and the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) were made respondents in the plea.

On May 25, BNP chairperson’s lawyers plead with the makeshift court of third special judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar at Bakshibazar Alia Madrasa ground in city to dismiss the deposition by ACC deputy director Harun-Ar-Rashid.

But the court of Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar rejected the plea and fixed next date of deposition.

Khaleda Zia’s lawyers filed the plea with the HC against the rejection order by Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar.

Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the ACC in the HC.

BDST: 1635 HRS, JUN 29, 2015
SR/SMS