Khaleda’s stay plea on graft trial trashed

The High Court today rejected a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking stay on the trial proceedings against her in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

The court however ordered the Supreme Court registrar general and law secretary for taking steps to ensure that the witnesses of the cases take oath before testifying.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order after hearing the petition.

Khaleda Zia filed the petition with the HC on December 6 last year saying that 32 prosecution witnesses of the Zia Charitable case did not take oath under the law.

She also prayed in the petition to the HC to order the lower court to cancel the statement given by 32 prosecution witnesses.

On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources abusing power.

ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid, also an investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against the accused on January 16, 2012.