Pleas challenge Khaleda’s HC bail in 2 cases

The government has filed two separate appeals with the Supreme Court challenging the High Court orders that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two criminal cases lodged in Comilla.

“We have submitted two leave-to-appeal petitions to the Supreme Court recently seeking cancellation of the High Court orders that granted bail to Khaleda Zia in two cases lodged in Comilla,” Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star today.

“The apex court will hold hearing the leave-to-appeal petitions on June 24,” the AG said.

Citing from the leave to appeal petitions, the AG said that the HC has failed to consider the fact that the incidents of killing and vandalism took place at the instruction and instigation of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and she cannot get bail in the cases filed in connection with the incidents.

On May 28, the HC granted bail for six months to Khaleda in the two cases filed in connection with vandalising vehicles in Comilla'sChouddagram area on January 25, 2015, and killing seven people and injuring 25-26 others by setting fire on a bus in Chouddagram on February 2, 2015.

Following two stay petitions filed by the government, chamber judge of the SC on May 29 stayed the HC orders of bail and sent the stay petitions to its full bench for their hearing on May 31.

After hearing the stay petitions, a three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on May 31 extended the chamber judge’s order and asked the government to file two separate leave-to-appeal petitions with this court by June 24 against the HC bail orders in the cases.

Earlier on May 16, the SC upheld an HC order that granted four months’ bail to Khaleda in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case in which she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the trial court. 

But, Khaleda, who landed in jail on February 8, could not walk out of jail as she was shown arrested in seven other cases filed in Comilla, Dhaka and Narail.