Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld its earlier order staying a High Court order that granted bail to Chattogram Customs’ CNF (clearing and forwarding) agent Mizanur Rahman Chakladar in a case on charge of tax evasion and smuggling.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared in the court on behalf of the ACC.
The lawyer said, “Following a petition filed by ACC Chamber Court of the Appellate Division on September 23 stayed the High Court bail granted to him. At the same time, the court directed Mizanur Rahman Chakladar to surrender in the trial court within two weeks and sent the case in the full bench of the Appellate Division for further hearing. The full bench heard the matter on Sunday and upheld the Chamber Court’s order.”
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed a petition on September 23 with the Appellate Division seeking stay on Mizanur Rahman’s bail. After hearing, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman stayed his bail till October 20 and the court sent the petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for hearing on the same day. Subsequently the petition came into cause-list on Sunday.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate filed this case with the Ramna Police Station on January 16, 2019, against Chattogram Customs’ CNF agent Mizanur Rahman Chakladar on charge of tax evasion and smuggling.
Customs intelligence arrested him the same day. Later on January 23, Custom intelligence handed over the case to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department).
A magistrate court of Dhaka on February 2 granted him bail in the case.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate appealed against his bail in the court of Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge. The court scraped his bail on June 25 and directed to surrender in the court.
But Mizanur Rahman Chakladar appealed with the High Court against the order of the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge court. The High Court rejected his petition as it was not pressed in the court.
Then he surrendered in the magistrate court on July 10 and later secured High Court bail on July 14.
Meanwhile, following another petition filed by the government the Appellate Division on August 27 stayed his High Court bail and directed him to surrender in the trial court within two weeks.
