The High Court on Monday granted bail for six months to Abdul Latif Siddique, former textiles and jute minister, in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on charge of misuse of power in selling government property.
The HC Bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by Latif Siddique.
Advocate Mansurul Hoque Chowdhury and Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared in the court on
behalf of Latif Siddique while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC.
Advocate Subrata Kumar Kundu filed the petition on September 24, 2019, on behalf of the former minister.
ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam lodged the case with Adamdighi Police Station in Bogura on October 10, 2017. Jahanara Rashid, wife of late Harunur Rashid in Kalitala of Adamdighi upazila, was also made accused in the case.
According to the case statement, Jahanara Rashid leased a piece of land in Adamdighi, owned by Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation for three years at Tk 1.2 lakh per year on May 13, 2010.
On November 13, 2011, Jahanara applied to the ministry for purchasing the land.
Later, the then textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique, without floating any formal tender, awarded the land to Jahanara at Tk 2.39 million although its market price was Tk 6.46 million, resulting in a loss of Tk 4.06 million.
Following the incident, the ACC filed the case against Latif and Jahanara under the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 1947.
On June 20 this year, a Bogura court sent Latif Siddique to jail in the case rejecting his bail petition.
