Comilla Vandalism Case: SC upholds HC bail order on Khaleda

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a High Court order that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for six months in a vandalism case filed in Comilla.

The apex court also vacated its chamber judge's order that stayed the HC order.

The Appellate Division of the SC asked the HC to settle in seven days whether the appeal petition filed by Khaleda seeking bail in the case was acceptable or not.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after disposing of a leave-to-appeal petition filed by the government against the HC order.

Masud Rana, a lawyer for Khaleda, told The Daily Star that the BNP chief could not walk free from jail following yesterday's SC order as she was shown arrested in other cases.

Following an appeal filed by Khaleda, the HC on May 28 granted bail to her for six months in the case filed over vandalising a covered van in Comilla's Chauddagram in 2015.

As the government filed a petition with the SC seeking stay on the HC order, the SC chamber judge on May 29 stayed the HC order and sent the government's petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for hearing.

On May 31, the full bench of the Appellate Division extended its chamber judge's order and asked the government to submit a leave-to-appeal petition before it against the HC order by June 24.

Accordingly, the government submitted the leave-to-appeal petition.

The apex court heard arguments on the petition on June 25 and fixed yesterday for passing an order.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam placed arguments before the apex court seeking cancellation of the HC order.

On the other hand, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, AJ Mohammad Ali and AM Mahbub Uddin Khohon appeared for Khaleda and prayed to the SC to uphold the HC order.