Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-The High Court on Wednesday cleared the way for the lower court to continue the proceedings against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and eight others in two graft cases.
Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases will continue as the HC rejected two separate petitions of the BNP chief challenging the indictment order against her.
On March 19, a Dhaka court framed charges against Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman also the senior vice-chairman of BNP, and seven others in the cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Khaleda was indicted in both the cases while Tarique in the orphanage case.
After the charges were framed in the cases, Khaleda on April 13 filed two separate review petitions with the HC challenging the indictment orders.
The ACC on July 3 in 2009 filed the Zia orphanage graft case against Khaleda, Tarique and four others on charge of embezzling over Tk 2.10 crore by forming the “fake” trust.
The anti-graft watchdog on August 8 in 2011 filed the Zia charitable trust graft case against Khaleda and three others for abusing power in setting up the charity named after late president and founder of BNP Ziaur Rahman.
BBN/SI/ANS/23Apr14-4:00pm (BST)