The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the disposal of a rule issued by the High Court earlier regarding the cancellation of bail to Hall-Mark Group chairman Jesmin Islam within four weeks.
A five-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice M Muzammel Hossain, came up with the order.
Barrister Rokonuddin Mahmud stood for Jesmin while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan took part in the hearing on behalf of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
Talking to reporters, the Attorney General said: “The SC ordered disposal of the rule within four weeks. Now, a High Court bench, led by Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, will dispose of the rule.”
A lower court on February 7 granted bail to Jesmin Islam for one and a half months in 11 cases filed against her considering her son’s SSC examinations and her assurance of returning money taken as loan against the group.
The High Court on February 10 issued a rule as to why her bail order should not de declared scrapped after Nazim Ahmed, editor of weekly Saptoborno, filed a petition on that day with the HC seeking its directive for cancelling the bail.
At that time, the HC also slapped a restriction on leaving the country by Jesmin and ordered her arrest if she did not surrender to a lower court.
Jesmin was arrested following the HC order.
The Hall-Mark Group chairman later filed an appeal with the SC which gave its order today (Thursday) after concluding the hearing.
The ACC on October 4 filed 11 cases against 27 people, including Jesmin, in connection with the embezzlement of over Tk 2,886 crore from the Ruposhi Bangla branch of Sonali Bank in the country’s biggest loan scandal involving Hall-Mark.
In those cases, Jesmin was accused of embezzling Tk 15.64 crore.
A team of Rab held Jesmin from near circuit house in Manikganj district on October 17 last year.
Source: UNB Connect
