Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Monday issued a ruling over cancellation of bail granted to Lakshmipur-2 lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul’s wife Selina Islam and their daughter Wafa Islam by a trial court in a money laundering case.
In the ruling, the HC wanted to know from the respondents to explain as to why the bail granted to them should not be cancelled.
The two bail receivers and concerned government officials will comply with the ruling within 10 days, said deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik
who represented the state in the court. The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) seeking cancellation of their bail.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared before the court on behalf of the ACC.
Following an anticipatory bail petition filed by the duo, the HC on December 22 last year ordered Papul’s wife, a reserved-seat lawmaker Selina Islam, and their daughter Wafa Islam to surrender before a trial court by December 28 in the case. Later a Dhaka court on December 27 granted bail to them following their surrender.
The ACC then filed an appeal petition with the HC against the lower court bail order. After hearing on the appeal petition the HC on Monday issued a ruling over cancellation of their bail in the case.
The ACC filed the case on November 11 last year with its Integrated Dhaka Office-1 against Papul, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law Jesmin Pradhan on allegation of money laundering.
ACC brought charges of laundering Tk 1.48 billion and transferring the money illegally against them.
Papul was arrested in Kuwait on 6 June last year on charges of human trafficking and money laundering. He later admitted to being engaged in these activities, and also acknowledged involvement in illegal visa trading and bribery of Kuwaiti officials. Following the allegation a Kuwaiti court on January 28 this year sentenced Papul and four others to four years in jail in the case.
Meanwhile, on 17 June, the ACC imposed travel ban on Selina Islam, Wafa Islam and Jasmin Akhter.
Later on November 26, Papul’s wife, daughter and sister in law filed three separate bail petitions with the HC. The HC on December 22 ordered them to surrender in a trail court.
According to the case statement, though 23-year-old Jesmin has no source of income of her own, the ACC has found illegal assets worth Tk 231 million. Hiding behind companies that existed on paper alone, Jesmin Pradhan’s five bank accounts were used to launder Tk 1.48 billion between 2012 and 2020. According to the ACC, Shahid Islam Papul used the bank accounts to transfer and launder illegal assets accumulated by his family.
