ACC challenges CEO's bail

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday challenged the February 13 order by a metropolitan magistrate that granted bail to former Farmers Bank managing director and CEO, Chowdhury Mustaque Ahmed, in a graft case.

ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood filed the petition on Sunday with Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka, seeking cancellation of the bail and an order to send him to jail.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh fixed April 8 for hearing the petition, said ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir.

On October 28 last year, Deputy Director of ACC Shamsul Alam filed a case with Gulshan Police Station accusing seven persons including Mustaque Ahmed for embezzling Tk 29 crore from the bank.

In December last year, Mustaque surrendered before the High Court and sought bail.

After a hearing, HC granted an eight weeks interim bail and directed him to surrender before a Dhaka court after its expiry.

Subsequently in January this year, ACC challenged the HC order and filed a petition with the Supreme Court.

The apex court set aside the HC order and directed Mustaque to surrender before a lower court.

Upon his surrender, on February 13, Metropolitan Magistrate Md Masud-Ur Rahman granted bail to Mustaque considering his health condition and social status.

In the appeal, ACC chief Iqbal Mahmood argued that the order by the metropolitan magistrate should be cancelled because the lower court has no jurisdiction to grant bail in this case.

“SC had cancelled his previous interim bail, therefore the order of the metropolitan magistrate should also be cancelled,” he argued.