SC cancels HC order granting bail to Hall-Mark chairman

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) cancelled a High Court order Monday that earlier granted anticipatory bail to Hall-Mark Group chairman Jasmine Islam in an ACC case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against Ms Jasmine for not submitting her wealth statement within the deadline.

The High Court (HC) on January 19 last granted her bail for four weeks upon a bail prayer.

Later, the ACC moved the Appellate Division for a stay on the HC order.

Disposing of the ACC petition, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, passed the cancellation order Monday.

Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq argued for Ms Jasmine while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC.

Mr Khan told the FE, "Following the Appellate Division order, there is no legal bar to arrest her in the case with the permission from the court."

Sources said the ACC in a notice on November 13 last year asked Ms Jasmine to submit her wealth statement.

Later, on November 24, she sought three-month time to do so. The ACC extended seven-day time till December 4, but she didn't submit wealth statement to the ACC by that time.

On this allegation, ACC filed the case with the Ramna Model Police Station on December 11.

Appearing before the HC on January 19, 2014 she sought anticipatory bail, upon which the HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed granted her bail.