The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday started hearing on an appeal filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia against the High Court order that increased her sentence from five to ten years in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
The full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Refaat Ahmed on Tuesday heard the arguments of both sides regarding the appeal and adjourned till Wednesday.
Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Badruddoza Badal, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Kaiser Kamal, and Adv Gazi Qamrul Islam Sazal represented Khaleda Zia during Tuesday's hearing.
They sought to overturn both the lower court and High Court verdicts, terming them unlawful.
On the other hand, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Additional Attorney Generals Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek Rushd Haque appeared for the state, while Advocate Md Asif Hasan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The apex court on November 11, 2024, allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, staying the High Court order that extended her five-year jail term to 10 in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
"We have argued that the prosecution could not able to show any documents that Begum Khaleda Zia approved any note, or signed any cheques; they could not show any signature of Begum Khaleda Zia on any government documents. Even the fund, we are talking about, is in the bank intact," Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told newsmen on that day.
"This infamous case was filed with a political scheme. The lower court concerned in February 2018, gave the judgment illegally. The High Court after that being politically biased, gave a judgment illegally, enhanced Begum Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing," Barrister Kayser Kamal said earlier.
"Even the ACC counsel after reading out the FIR said a single penny wasn't embezzled from fund of Tk 2.33 crore. The whole fund is in the bank," he added.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8 in 2018 convicted former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the case.
It also sentenced five others including her son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to 10 years' imprisonment each.
The High Court on October 30 in 2018, extended the BNP chief's jail term to 10 years.
On August 6, last year, Khaleda was completely freed by an order of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
Since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the High Court has dismissed several cases, including the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust cases, filed against Khaleda.
