Kh Mosharraf, Kamal Majumder, Pintu get bail

The High Court (HC) yesterday granted ad interim bail to seven people including former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and former lawmakers Kamal Ahmed Majumder and Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.
Of the seven, BNP leaders Khandaker Mosharraf, Pintu, ex-BRTC chairman Taimur Alam Khandaker, Awami League (AL) leaders Kamal Majumder and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and former prime minister Khaleda Zia's brother Shamim Iskander are detained in graft and extortion cases while former assistant secretary RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury on charges of violating the emergency power rules.
In response to separate petitions, two HC benches passed the orders. They also asked the government to explain why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail and the proceedings against them quashed.
The bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad dealt with petitions filed by six while that of Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuque Hosain Ahmed one.
Of the accused, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain faces two extortion cases filed with Daudkandi Police Station in Comilla on March 12, 2007 and March 19, 2007.
He recently filed two petitions with the HC--one for bail and the other for quashing the case proceedings.
After hearing his petitions, the bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad directed the government to explain within four weeks why the petitioner should not be granted regular bail.
It granted him bail till disposal of the rule.
The same bench granted bail to Kamal Majumder in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for amassing wealth through illegal means and concealing assets information from the anti-graft body.
Disposing of the former lawmaker's petition for bail and dismissal of the case, the HC also ordered the government to explain within three weeks why the proceedings against him should not be quashed. His bail will stay effective till disposal of the rule.
The bail granted to Pintu in two cases will last four weeks. The court also stayed the proceedings of the cases against him for misappropriating tin sheets meant to be distributed as relief.
It asked the government to show cause within four weeks why the proceedings should not be set aside.
Taimur Alam Khandker too was granted a four-month bail in a bribery case. The ACC filed the case with the Paltan Police Station on January 18 last year.
In response to his petition, the court stayed for four months the proceedings against him and asked the government to show cause within four weeks why the case should not be dismissed.
The bail for AL Religion Affairs Secretary Sheikh Md Abdullah will remain valid for three months.
Abdullah is detained in a case filed by the ACC on charges of making wealth through illegal means.
The court stayed the proceedings against him for three months and issued a rule on the government to explain within three weeks why the case should not be quashed.
The bail to Shamim Iskander will remain effective for two months. A former flight engineer of Biman, he is detained in a case filed by the ACC on charges of holding back wealth information.
The court also issued a rule on the government to explain within four weeks why the proceedings against him should not be quashed.
The same day the HC bench stayed for three months the proceedings against Halima Rahmat Ullah, wife of former AL lawmaker AKM Rahmat Ullah.
Halima faces charges of aiding and abetting her husband in amassing illegal wealth.
Earlier, she was granted anticipatory bail from the HC.
The bench of Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuque Hosain Ahmed granted two months' bail to Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury.
It also directed the authorities not to harass or arrest him after release from prison. The government filed the case against him for violating the emergency rules.