Tofail's wife, daughter get bail from HC

The High Court (HC) yesterday granted anticipatory bail to Awami League Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed's wife Anwara Ahmed and daughter Dr Taslima Ahmed Zaman for four months or till submission of police report in a case filed on charge of amassing illegal wealth.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to show cause within four weeks why they should not be granted regular bail in the case.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka yesterday granted bail to former lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu's wife Nasima Aktar Kalpana in a corruption case.
Judge Azizul Haq granted her bail when she surrendered to the court and prayed for bail.
On May 29, (ACC) Deputy Director Golam Shahrier Chowdhury filed a case with Ramna police station against former minister Tofail Ahmed for amassing Tk 2.45 crore wealth, which is inconsistent with Tofail's known sources of income, and concealing information about Tk 1.86 crore in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC. His wife and daughter were charged with abetting him in doing so.
An HC bench comprising Justice Khondker Musa Khaled and Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury heard the bail petition filed by Anwara and Taslima Zaman yesterday. Both appeared before the court.
Their counsel barrister M Amir-ul Islam submitted before the court that since the ACC did not issue any notice to the petitioners for their wealth statements before filing the case against them, the case is malafide.
He also said as per amended provisions of the Emergency Power Rules (EPR), if co-accused in a case are women and children they will be granted bail.
ACC's counsel Khurshid Alam Khan opposed their bail prayer.
Pintu and his wife were accused of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 21.89 crore and concealing that in the wealth statement submitted to the ACC.
The ACC filed the case against them on June 6 last year, and the investigation officer pressed charges on October 2.
Pintu is in custody while his wife was absconding till yesterday.