Khaleda Zia's acquittal in Zia Charitable Trust case upheld

The High Court ruling acquitting BNP chairperson of a seven-year prison sentence and Tk 1 million fine in the Zia Charitable Trust case, has been upheld.

The Appellate Division has dismissed the three separate leave to appeals filed by the state prosecutor and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against the High Court verdict. A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by senior justice of the Appellate Division Md Ashraful Islam passed this order today, Monday.

The High Court on 27 November last year granted the separate appeals filed by Khaleda Zia and another two persons against a lower court's verdict sentencing her in the Zia Charitable Trust case. The ruling of the case was dismissed and Khaleda Zia as well as two others were acquitted in the case.

Two leave to appeals were filed against the High Court verdict, one by the state prosecutor and the other by ACC. The hearing of three separate leave to appeals were held today by the Appellate Division.

Additional attorney general Anik R Huq attended the hearing for the state prosecution and lawyer Asif Hasan on behalf of ACC.

Senior legal counsels AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, M Badruddoza and Md Ruhul Kuddus and lawyers Md Aminul Islam, Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan and Md Maksud Ullah represented Khaleda Zia at the hearing.

Later speaking to Prothom Alo, lawyer M Badruddoza said, "The Appellate Division dismissed the three leave to appeals at the hearing on merit. And so the High Court ruling acquitting BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in that case has been upheld."

Another lawyer of Khaleda Zia, Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, said that all the cases against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia have not been settled as yet.

He told Prothom Alo, "With the leave to appeals being dismissed, the High Court verdict acquitting Khaleda Zia and two others has been upheld."

The High Court gave its verdict on 27 November last year, granting the appeal filed by three persons including Khaleda Zia. The other two are Haris Chowdhury's personal secretary Ziaul Islam and former mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka's personal secretary Monirul Islam Khan.

After the High Court passed its full verdict, the state prosecution filed a leave to appeal last month. ACC also filed two leave to appeals, regarding Khaleda Zia. All three leave to appeals were scrapped at today's hearing.

A lower court delivered its verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust case on 29 October 2018, sentencing Khaleda Zia to seven years in prison and imposing a fine of Tk 1 million.

Khaleda Zia appealed against the verdict to the High Court on 18 November 2018. After hearing the appeal, on 30 April 2019, a double bench of the High Court accepted the appeal for hearing and stayed the fine imposed by the trial court in Khaleda Zia's case. Similar sentences were passed down to two other accused in the case.

Khaleda Zia appealed to the High Court against the verdict on 18 November the same year. After hearing the appeal, on 30 April 2019, a dual bench of the High Court accepted the appeal for hearing and stayed the fine imposed by the trial court in Khaleda Zia's case.

Consequently, Khaleda Zia's lawyers moved for the hearing of Khaleda Zia's appeal. Khaleda Zia appealed for permission to produce a paper book as a preliminary step for the appeal hearing in the High Court regarding the Zia Charitable Trust case and the High Court accepted this on 3 November. The High Court ruled in favour of the appeal after the hearing.