Rooppur Power Plant Graft Case: SC stays contractor Asif’s bail

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday stayed until November 8 a High Court order that granted bail to contractor Asif Hossain in a case filed over the much-discussed corruption in purchasing furniture and household items for officials of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna.

The apex court also asked the Anti-Corruption Commission to file a leave to appeal petition with this court against the HC bail order by November 8.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order following a petition filed by the ACC seeking a stay on the HC order.

On October 21, the HC granted permanent bail to contractor Asif Hossain in the case.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel delivered the verdict after hearing a rule issued over granting bail to Asif Hossain, managing director of Majid and Sons Construction Limited that supplied some household items to officials of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna.

Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC while lawyer Fida M Kamal argued for Asif while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state during the virtual hearing on the ACC's stay petition.

Following the same bail petition, the HC in March this year issued a rule asking the ACC and government to explain why Asif Hossain should not be granted bail in the case.

The ACC filed the cases with its Pabna district office against Asif Hossain and several others on December 12 last year on charges of irregularities involving Tk 26 crore in supplying the furniture and household items, said Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan.