Top court to deliver Khaleda’s bail verdict on Wednesday

The Supreme Court has set Wednesday to deliver its verdict on the two appeals against the High Court bail order for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a graft case.

Though the verdict was expected to come on Tuesday, it was delayed by a day as Attorney General Mahbubey Alam came up with some more arguments.

After hearing arguments for an hour, a four-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, fixed May 16 for delivering the verdict on the appeals.

The High Court on Mar 12 granted bail to Khaleda who was jailed on Feb 8 after a trial court convicted her.

Later, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the government moved the appeals before the Appellate Division of the SC challenging the bail order.

The BNP chief has been in the old jailhouse on Nazimuddin Road as a special court sentenced her to five years in prison for corruption in the Zia Orphanage Trust.

The HC granted Khaleda a four-month interim bail, considering her age and health issues after the special court released the full verdict.

When ACC and the State moved the Appellate Division, it suspended the bail order until May 8, allowing these two to start appeals against the bail.

The authorities formed a team of doctors to treat her and she was taken to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Apr 7 for a checkup.

The 73-year-old was suffering from problems in her heart, eyes and knee, her doctors earlier said. She is on regular medication.

The ACC started prosecuting Khaleda in 2008 for embezzling over Tk 20 million that came from a foreign bank as grants for orphans.