ACC files appeal to extend Khaleda’s punishment

FT ONLINE

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday filed an appeal with the High Court to extend punishment for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust Corruption case.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan filed petition with the HC branch on Sunday (March 25).

“We have submitted an affidavit against the verdict of the lower court. It will be appeared with High Court on Tuesday. In this case the prime accused was given 5 years of punishment while in the same case 10 years of punishment to others. Therefore, it is inadequate,” said ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan.

Earlier March 12, an HC bench of Justices Enayetur Rahim and Shahidul Karim granted bail for four months to Khaleda Zia.

On February 8, a Special Court in Dhaka sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the graft case.

The court also jailed her elder son Tarique Rahman, now acting chairman of the BNP, and four others for 10 years.

The Zia Orphanage Trust case was filed by Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2008, accusing the six of misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore of foreign grant money.