DHAKA: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday (November 9) rejected a plea filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking further cross-examination of 11 prosecution witnesses of Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Khaleda sought directive to allow her lawyers for full interrogation of nine witnesses while re-interrogation of two others.

However, a full Appellate bench of five justices led by Acting Chief Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah passed the order.

Earlier, the hearing came to an end on Monday (November 6).

Senior lawyers AJ Mohammad Ali and Joynul Abedin moved for Khaleda at the courtroom. Lawyer Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan accompanied him.

Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan moved for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Earlier, the SC fixed October 30 for issuing the order upon the appeal filed by the BNP chief against a High Court order that rejected re-interrogation of the 11 witnesses. 

On October 22, an HC bench of Justices Md Showkat Hossain and Md Nazrul Islam rejected the same plea. 

Later, Khaleda appealed against the HC order.

The court of Chamber Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain then moved the appeal to full appellate bench.

Khaleda’s lawyer Jakir Hossain said that the Judge Court earlier rejected the plea of Khaleda to re-interrogate the witnesses on July 27.

Later, an appeal was filed with the High Court seeking main interrogation of nine witnesses and re-interrogation of the rest two.

The HC then directed to adopt the same interrogation earlier taken for BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, another accused in the case.

Besides, its unnecessary to re-interrogate the other two, said the court.  

However, Anti-corruption commission (ACC) filed the case on July 3 in 2008 with Ramna police station accusing Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and four others for embezzlement of about Tk 21 million that was received as grants for orphans via a foreign bank.

BDST: 1044 HRS, NOV 9, 2017
SI/SMS