The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the High Court verdict acquitting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and other accused in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case2.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Justice Md dismissed the leave-to-appeal petitions filed by the state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging the High Court judgment.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, one of the counsels for Khaleda, told reporters that following the apex court order, Khaleda Zia stands acquitted in both the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust cases, in which she had previously been convicted and sentenced2. He added that Khaleda Zia is on bail in other cases filed against her.
Pro-BNP lawyers, including Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Md Bodruddoza Badal, Advocate Aminul Islam, and Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, represented Khaleda Zia, while Advocate Ashif Hassan appeared for the ACC during the hearing.
Earlier on February 23, the prosecution and the ACC submitted separate petitions challenging the acquittal of Khaleda Zia in the case. Later, the apex court set March 2 for hearing2. On November 27 last year, the HC acquitted Khaleda in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in which she was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by a lower court2. The HC also scraped the trial court verdict that sentenced the BNP chief and two others in the case.
On October 29, 2018, a Dhaka court convicted Khaleda and sentenced her to seven years of imprisonment in the case2. The ACC filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on August 8, 2011, accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources.
