No funds have been embezzled from the Zia Orphanage Trust, said lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Asif Hasan,
He clarified during a hearing on the leave-to-appeal petition filed by the BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia seeking acquittal in the corruption case on Sunday (10 November) that the funds amounting to Tk2.33 crore, remain intact within the trust’s accounts.
The bench, led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, presided over the proceedings.
In his submission, the ACC lawyer referred to the case documents, which show that Tk2.33 crore was transferred, but no one had misappropriated the money.
Furthermore, during the hearing, parts of Khaleda Zia's 150-page deposition were read aloud in the court.
Her lawyer described this statement as a "historical document", drawing parallels with the famous deposition of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam from his time in prison.
The Appellate Division has scheduled its decision on the leave-to-appeal request for Monday (11 November).
Khaleda Zia’s lawyer, Kaiser Kamal, argued that despite the lack of any financial misconduct, the initial five-year sentence handed down to the BNP leader in 2018 was politically motivated.
Following her appeal, the High Court extended her sentence by another five years, resulting in a total of ten years in prison.
