Graft Charges: Permanent bail granted to Khaleda

The High Court yesterday granted permanent bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim delivered the verdict after holding the final hearing on a petition filed by Khaleda in 2008 seeking bail in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that the trial court has the liberty to cancel her bail if she misuses it.

Meanwhile, Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, a lawyer for the BNP chief, told this correspondent that his client was accused in 37 cases and she was on bail in all of them.

The ACC filed the case on July 3, 2008, accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that was received as grants for the orphanage via a foreign bank.

Of the six accused, Khaleda, former BNP lawmaker Salimul Haq Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed are on bail while others including Tarique remain absconding.

In 2008, following a bail petition, the HC had granted ad-interim bail to Khaleda and issued a rule asking the ACC and government to explain why the BNP chief should not be granted regular bail in the case.

The HC yesterday delivered the verdict after holding a hearing on the rule.

Lawyers AJ Mohammad Ali and AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and some other pro-BNP lawyers appeared for Khaleda Zia.