DHAKA: A Dhaka court Monday deferred the recording of prosecution witnesses` (PWs) deposition in the Zia Orphanage Trust embezzlement case and Zia Charitable Trust case to May 21.  

Justice Bashudeb Roy of Dhaka special judge court-3 passed the deferment order in response to a time plea filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Taherul Islam Tauhid.

The first witness, also plaintiff of the case ACC Assistant Director Harunur Rashid appeared before the court but Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Taherul Islam sought time.

Taherul Islam said that after concluding the hearing on April 17-18, the High Court fixed Wednesday for passing order on the petition filed by Khaleda Zia and others seeking cancelation of indictment order against them.

 “So, we appealed for not to start taking deposition till passed the HC order,” he said.

In the petition, showing several causes Khaleda Zia sought time 41 times in Zia Orphanage Trust case and 11 times in Zia Charitable Trust case.

The accused for these two cases are Senior Vice-President of BNP Tarique Rahman, Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal, Sharfuddin Ahmed, Ziaul Islam Munna, Monirul Islam Khan and former Political Secretary of Khaleda Zia Harichh Chowdhury.

However, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against them in 2008 and 2011 for embezzling money using the name of the charitable organizations.

BDST: 1234 HRS, APR 21, 2014