HC rejects Khaleda’s plea to scrap graft case

The High Court (HC) has rejected a petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking cancellation of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) against her.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Mahmudul Haque came up with the order on Thursday after hearing the petition.

After the HC order, now there is no bar on the lower court to continue the trial proceedings against the BNP chief in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Earlier on March 9, Khaleda Zia filed the petition with the HC seeking cancellation of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Khaleda’s counsel Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon submitted the petition on her behalf with the HC bench concerned citing faulty recruitment process of the investigation officer (IO) in the case.

The petition said the ACC has the right to appoint an IO in any case under section 20 (1) of ACC Act-2004.

The ACC on August 8, 2011 filed the graft case accusing Khaleda and three others of abusing power in setting up the charity.

The other accused are Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda's former political secretary, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. Of them, Harris is on the run.