Saiful's passport to stay with ACC: SC

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed a High Court order that directed Anti-Corruption Commission to return the passport of Saiful Haque, accused of AB Bank Tk 165 crore laundering case.

Also the chairman of Sky Aviation Services, the general sales agent of flydubai, Saiful is believed to be one of the kingpins of the laundering syndicate, ACC's lawyer Khurshid Alam said.

Following the SC order, the anti-graft watchdog does not need to return the passport to him and therefore he cannot leave the country. 

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order following a leave-to-appeal petition filed by the ACC.

Justice Hasan Foez also sent the leave-to-appeal petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for its further hearing on June 25.

The commission on January this year arrested Saiful and seized his passport for his alleged involvement in laundering around Tk 165 crore from AB Bank between 2013 and 2014.

Saiful recently got released from jail on bail granted by the HC.

Meanwhile, another HC bench on May 31 ordered the ACC to return his passport within 24 hours, following a writ petition filed by Saiful.

Then, ACC filed two separate leave to appeal petitions with the SC challenging the HC orders.