The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday adjourned till February 05 its hearing on a petition filed seeking stay on a High Court (HC) order that asked the authorities concerned to investigate the allegations against the S Alam Group owner of amassing huge property abroad without Bangladesh Bank's permission.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, set the new date.
The SC also extended the status quo until that day upon the subject matter of the HC order.
The apex court asked that Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, who placed the newspaper report before the HC bench for necessary directives, should be made party to S Alam Group's petition before its hearing in the SC, said lawyer Saifullah Mamun, one of the counsels for the S Alam Group.
Sumon had earlier applied to be a party, but his application had been opposed by S Alam Group's lawyers and rejected by the Chamber Judge.
The Appellate Division was scheduled to hold hearing on January 8 on the leave-to-appeal petition filed by Saiful Alam and his wife Farzana Parveen, seeking a stay on the HC order.
However, a four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Justice Borhanuddin, passed the deferment order that day after lawyer Ajmalul sought an adjournment of the hearing.
On August 23 in 2023, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division ordered maintaining the status quo till January 8 in 2024 upon the subject matter of the HC order that asked the authorities concerned to conduct inquiry into the allegations against the S Alam Group owner.
Justice M Enayetur Rahim, the then Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the S Alam Group seeking a stay on the HC order. The Chamber Judge also sent the matter to the regular Appellate Division bench for detailed hearing on it that day.
Earlier on August 21, S Alam and his wife submitted the petition to the Appellate Division, seeking a stay on the HC order.
On August 6, the HC directed the authorities concerned to conduct inquiry into the allegations against the S Alam Group of transfer and investment of huge money abroad without permission from the central bank.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Bangladesh Financial Intelligent Unit (BFIU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police were asked to comply with the direction. They were also asked to submit inquiry report to the HC within two months.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order on a Suo Motu move after considering a report published in an English daily on August 4, 2023 under the headline "S Alam's Aladdin's Lamp".
SC lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman placed the newspaper report before the HC bench, seeking necessary directives.
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