Zia Orphanage graft case shifted to another court
The High Court today transferred the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from the Senior Special Judge's Court of Dhaka to another court for running its trial proceedings.
The bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain and Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Khaleda for transferring the case from the court of Senior Special Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah. The HC judges, however, did not instantly disclose the new court.
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Khaleda’s lawyer Barrister Bodruddoza Badal and Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan confirmed the matter to The Daily Star.
Earlier on April 26, the BNP chairperson filed a petition with the HC for transferring the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case against her from the court of Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah.
READ MORE: Zia Charitable Trust Case: SC clears way for trial of Khaleda
On April 13, Khaleda submitted an application expressing no confidence in Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah.
In the application, she requested the judge to send the case to the HC for its judicial review as Mollah was a director of the ACC between 2010 and 2015. But his court on April 13 rejected her application.
On April 26, the BNP chairperson submitted the petition to the HC challenging the April 13 rejection order.
READ MORE: HC verdict on Khaleda's revision plea March 8
On March 8, the HC transferred the case from the Special Judge Court-3 to the Senior Special Judge's Court, and asked the latter to dispose of the case in 60 days. The HC passed the court-transfer order following a similar petition filed by Khaleda.
The ACC filed the case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that was received as grants for orphans via a foreign bank.
Of the six accused, Khaleda, former BNP lawmaker Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed are on bail while the others including Tarique have been absconding.
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