Khaleda appeals to SC for staying graft trial

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today filed two separate appeals with the Supreme Court for staying the trial proceedings of Zia Charitable Trust corruption case against her.

The BNP chief submitted the leave to appeal petitions though her lawyers also challenging a High Court verdict that on May 15 paved way for a lower court to continue with the trial.

The apex court might hear the appeals next week, Raghib Rauf Chowdhury, a lawyer for the BNP chief, told The Daily Star.

On May 15, the HC rejected two revision petitions of Khaleda seeking a stay on the trial, and paved way for a lower court to continue with the trial.

Earlier on April 18, the BNP chief filed the two separate revision petitions with the HC challenging a lower court order that rejected her two applications in the graft case lodged by the Anti Corruption Commission on August 8, 2011.

One of the applications was filed for re-cross examination of the investigation officer of the case while the other for scrutinising the case diary.

On April 17, a Dhaka court rejected the applications of Khaleda after her lawyers submitted those before the court at Bakshibazar in her presence.

Other accused in the case are Khaleda's former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, his assistant private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Harris is on the run among the accused.