ACC appeals seeking increase in Khaleda’s jail term

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday filed an appeal in the High Court Division to increase the jail term for former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust Case.

ACC said it filed a separate application in the HC for holding an analogous hearing on Khaleda’s appeal challenging her conviction and the ACC appeal seeking increase in her jail term.

At analogous hearing both the appeals could be heard together, said lawyers.

They pointed out that for the first time ACC field appeal to increase the jail term though the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1957 under which Khaleda Zia was tried and convicted stipulated no provision to increase her sentence.

That’s why the ACC filed the appeal to increase Khaleda’s jail term under   sections  435 and 439 of the Code of the Criminal Procedure, better known as CrPC.

On March 19, the ACC took the decision to file the appeal saying that it felt aggrieved over lesser jail term handed to Khaleda Zia than the others though she was the principal accused in the case.

On March 12, the High Court granted a four-month interim bail to Khaleda Zia.

On February 8 last, the Dhaka Special Court-5 convicted the BNP chief and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the case. She was then sent to old central jail at Nazimuddin Road in the city.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net