ACC to challenge bail of Fazlus Sobhan

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to file six appeals with the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the bail of Fazlus Sobhan, former deputy managing director of BASIC Bank, in six loan scam cases.

“The anti-graft watchdog will submit six leave-to-appeal petitions to the SC tomorrow seeking cancellation of the bail,” said Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub, the lawyer for the commission.

The leave-to-appeal petitions will be filed on grounds of financial crime committed by Sobhan in handling the loan money granted by BASIC Bank and he is a key accused in the case.  

ACC will not challenge the HC observations over the long delay in the investigation into the cases filed, said Advocate Mamun Mahbub adding, the commission will carry out the HC directives and observations.

On May 31, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim granted bail to Fazlus Sobhan in six cases filed by ACC for the loan scam of BASIC Bank.

The bail was granted on grounds that the commission has failed to complete its investigations into the cases even after two and a half years had passed since the cases were lodged.

In the verdict, the HC also said the anti-graft body has utterly failed to comply with the observations made by the country's highest court, which is tantamount to demeaning and flouting its orders. 

In the full verdict, HC observed even after repeated direction to carry out a fair probe ACC had not progressed much in the investigation of the cases filed over the loan scam in the last two and a half years.

Fazlus Sobhan, who stands accused in 48 cases, got bail in 37 cases filed against him.

He has been imprisoned since 2016 and cannot walk out of jail as he is yet to get bail in 11 cases, said his lawyer Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud.

BASIC Bank has been destroyed as around Tk 4,500 crore was siphoned out between 2009 and 2013. It triggered a huge outcry when a Bangladesh Bank enquiry disclosed the loan scam.

The ACC filed as many as 56 cases two and a half years ago in this regard. But it did not sue former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu and members of the board, drawing huge criticism for its selective actions.