bdnews24.com :The High Court has rejected a writ petition by Tushar Ahmed, general manager of scam-tainted Hall-Mark Group.He had challenged the pressing of charges against him under the Money Laundering Prevention Act-2012 for offences allegedly committed three years earlier. A bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain rejected the petition on Wednesday, clearing the way for Ahmed’s trial, said Khurshid Alam Khan, counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).However, the defence counsel, Barrister Fakhrul Islam, said they would appeal against the order. In Bangladesh one of the largest financial scams, the Hall-Mark Group had drawn over Tk 26 billion from government-run Sonali Bank’s Ruposhi Bangla branch using forgery between 2010 and March 2012. After investigation, the ACC on Oct 4, 2012 filed 11 cases in connection with the scam.On Oct 7 next year, the anti-graft watchdog submitted the charge sheet against 25 people including Hall-Mark Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud, Chairman Jesmin Islam and General Manager Ahmed.Ahmed then challenged the effectiveness of Section 31 (3) of the anti-money laundering act in the cases filed against him. In the writ petition, Ahmed said nine of the 11 cases over the scam were filed against him.
