DHAKA: A Dhaka court set December 31 for further hearing on Zia Charitable Trust graft case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and others.
Judge Abu Ahmed Jomadar of the Special Judge's Court-3 setup on Alia Madrasa premises at Bakshibazar in city fixed the date on Monday (December 21).
Khaleda Zia skipped Monday’s hearing for the fourth time in the Zia trust graft case on health ground.
On the day, defense lawyers cross-examined four witnesses in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. The 27-30th witnesses are Sonali Bank head office DGM Abdul Gafur, AGM M Harun or Rashid, Mirpur Industrial area branch manager Harun-or Rashid Fakir and GM Amin Uddin.
Advocate Abdur Rezzak Khan, on behalf of Khaleda Zia, and advocates TM Akber and Aminul Islam, on behalf of other accused, testified the witnesses.
Besides, a new witness gave his deposition in the case. The court also recorded partial statement of ACC deputy director Harun-or-Rashid, also investigating officer (IO) of the case.
Then, the court set December 31 for cross-examination of the new witness and recording further deposition of IO of the case.
At the beginning of day’s proceedings, Advocate Sanaullah Mia filed no appearance petition for his client Khaleda Zia. Later, the court ordered to resume cross-examination and deposition in the case.
The court also fixed January 14 for recording deposition of witness and cross-examination on the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case as an application of the defense seeking 'leave to appeal' pending at the High Court.
Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the graft case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating Tk over 2.10-crore, which came as grants from a foreign bank for orphans.
The other accused are former BNP lawmaker Kazi Saleemul Haque, businessperson Sharfuddin Ahmed, Khaleda’s former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and Momenur Rahman.
Zia Charitable Trust Graft Case
On August 8, 2011, ACC filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.
The other accused in the case are Harris Chowdhury, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, Monirul Islam Khan and APS to Sadeque Hossain Khoka, mayor of the erstwhile Dhaka City Corporation.
BDST: 1500 HRS, DEC 21, 2015
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