HC cancels bail of expelled JL leader Samrat
UNB, Dhaka :
The High Court on Wednesday cancelled the bail granted to expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a graft case.
A two-judge bench of justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order in the wake of a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging the bail order of a lower court on May 11.
The court also asked Samrat to surrender before a lower court within seven days, said deputy attorney general AGM Amin Uddin.
Earlier, on May 16, the ACC filed a petition before the High Court seeking cancellation of the bail of Samrat in the graft case.
On May 11, the Dhaka court granted bail to Samrat in the graft case, paving the way for his release from judicial custody.
Judge Al Asad Md Asifuzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-6 passed the order but with riders — Samrat can’t leave the country without the permission of the court, has to submit his passport and also his health reports on the designated date.
Earlier, the same court turned down his bail plea in the corruption case filed by the ACC twice — on April 28 and April 13.
Samrat secured bail in a drugs case on April 11 and in an Arms Act case and a money laundering case on April 10.
The expelled Jubo League leader has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital since November 24 last year.
On October 6, 2019, Rab detained Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chauddagram in Cumilla.
Rab raided his Kakrail office later that day. Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office.
He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act.
On October 7, Abdul Khaleque, deputy assistant director of Rab-1 lodged two complaints against Samrat at Ramna police station under the Arms and the Narcotics Act. Arman was also made an accused in the narcotics case.
On November 4, Shekhar Chandra Mallik, a sub-inspector, submitted a chargesheet against Samrat in the Arms Act case.
On November 12, the ACC lodged a complaint against him for acquiring assets worth Tk 2.94 crore beyond his known sources of income.
On September 12, 2020, Rashedur Rahman, sub-inspector of CID, registered a case against him at the Ramna police station for laundering Tk 195 crore to Malaysia and Singapore.
Lastly, on November 26 last year, the investigating officer in the case, Jahangir Alam, submitted a chargesheet in the court.