Khaleda for further probe into Zia Trust graft case
At the final stage of the trial, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday filed a petition with a Dhaka court seeking further investigation into the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case claiming that the earlier probe was faulty.
Khaleda's lawyer Abdur Rezak Khan submitted the petition to the Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka saying the investigation conducted by the Anti-Corruption Commission was “not appropriate and legal”.
According to the petition, ACC Deputy Director Nur Ahmed, who enquired into the graft allegation, during the trial told the court that some of the money had come from the Kuwait amir.
But Investigation Officer Harunur Rashid, also a deputy director of the ACC, mentioned the amount of money in his probe report “without probing the matter properly”, said Rezak Khan, adding that the matter should be investigated again for ensuring justice.
However, Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol opposed the petition and appealed to the court to start reading out the charges to Khaleda brought by 32 prosecution witnesses.
After hearing arguments from both the sides, Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar adjourned the hearing until February 2.
The court asked Khaleda to appear before it on that day.
The BNP chief appeared before the court at 11:10am and left the courtroom at 3:35pm. The former prime minister was allowed to sit on a chair.
The ACC had filed the case on July 3, 2008 with Ramna Police Station accusing Khaleda, his 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 Kazi Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed are on bail while the others have been absconding.
SALAM FALLS SICK
BNP chairperson's adviser Abdus Salam fell sick on the court premises yesterday when he went there with the party chief.
He was admitted to Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital in the city, said Syrul Kabir Khan, a staff of Khaleda's media wing.
“As Abdus Salam felt unwell around 11:00am, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir took him to the hospital,” he added.
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