Tk 2,600cr Swindling
Bail for Hall-Mark boss extended
A Dhaka court yesterday again extended the bail to Hall-Mark Group Chairman Jasmine Islam till January 22, 2014 in connection with 11 graft cases filed for swindling over Tk 2,600 crore out of Sonali Bank. The court also rejected bail prayers for Hall-Mark Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud, its General Manager Tusher Ahmed and Sonali Bank Deputy General Manager Shafijuddin Ahmed after their lawyers submitted separate bail petitions in the same cases.
The court granted bail to Jasmine, wife of Tanvir, after she appeared before it, seeking extension of the bail order in the cases filed with Shahbag Police Station.
Earlier on August 4, she secured a one-month bail in these cases on condition that she would pay back the amount in monthly instalments of Tk 100 crore.
The Anti-Corruption Commission and the accused then challenged the conditional bail order with the High Court, which is yet to be settled. During the hearing on Jasmine’s bail prayer yesterday, the anti-graft body lawyers argued that the lower court cannot pass any order as the issue is pending with the HC.
In the 11 cases, the ACC had sued 27 top officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group for their alleged involvement in the scam.
The graft watchdog on October 7 pressed charges against 25 of them. Of the accused, seven, including Tanvir, are now behind bars.
Earlier on November 13, the same court took cognisance of charges against the 25 accused in the cases.
-With The Daily Star input
