SC stays bail to Rana Plaza owner for six months
Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed for six months a High Court verdict that granted bail to Sohel Rana, owner of Rana Plaza, in a murder case filed in connection with the death of 1,135 garment workers after the building collapsed in April 2013.
The apex court also kept stand over (waiting for hearing) the petition filed by the state challenging the HC verdict.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after a brief hearing on the petition.
Deputy Attorney General Md Sarwar Hossain appeared in the hearing representing the state, while lawyer Qamrul Islam appeared for Sohel Rana.
The HC judgement that granted bail to Sohel Rana will remain halted following the apex court order, said his lawyer Quamrul Islam.
Earlier on April 6, the High Court granted bail to Sohel Rana in the murder case filed in connection with the death of 1,135 garment workers.
Later on April 9, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division stayed the High Court verdict and sent the matter to the regular bench of the Appellate Division for detail hearing on it. The apex court on May 8 extended the stay order till July 10.
Lawyer Qamrul earlier said the number of accused in the case is 41 including Sohel Rana. Three of them, including Sohel Rana’s father Abdul Khalek, have died. Thirty-seven out of remaining 38 accused except Sohel Rana are now on bail, the lawyer said.
The case was filed on charge of negligence in constructing the building, murder charge was included in the case later on, he added.
Qamrul said Sohel Rana may have liabilities for the collapse of Rana Plaza, but he has right to get justice. However, the engineers of Rajuk, who approved the plan of the building, and owners of the garment factory there, have also liabilities for the incident, he added.
At least 1,136 people, mostly garment workers, were killed and over 2,500 others injured as the nine-storey building came crashing down in Savar on April 24, 2013.
Hours after the disaster, Wali Ashraf, sub-inspector of Savar Police Station, had filed the murder case against building owner Sohel Rana, his father and several others.
The Criminal Investigation Department of police on May 24, 2015 pressed charges against Sohel Rana and 41 others in the murder case. On July 18, 2016, the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge’s Court framed charges against the 41 accused, including Sohel Rana, also a former Jubo League leader in Savar, in the case.
