HC asks for Hall-Mark wealth report

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to submit lists of moveable and immovable properties of Hall-Mark Group before it by April 20.
The court passed the order during hearing on a petition that challenged the legality of granting bail to Hall-Mark Group chairman Jasmine Islam by a lower court in 11 corruption cases.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the cases against 27 top officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group on October 4 last year in connection with a loan scam.
Petitioner's counsel Eunus Ali Akond told The Daily Star that the authorities concerned of the ACC, Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group would have to submit wealth statements of Hall Mark Group to the HC.
Yesterday, the HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Mahmudul Hoque also fixed April 20 for further hearing on the rule.
On February 7, Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judges' Court in Dhaka granted bail to Jasmine on condition that she along with her company would repay Tk 2,600 crore, which her company had swindled, to Sonali bank.
After Nazim Ahmed, editor of weekly Shoptoborno, filed a petition challenging the legality of the bail order, the HC on February 13 issued the rule upon the authorities concerned to explain why the bail of Jasmine should not be cancelled.
Following the HC rule, the court of Zahirul Haque on February 17 cancelled the bail of Jasmine and ordered her to surrender before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court by February 19.
Jasmine surrendered before the same court on Tuesday after complying with the court order.