‘Casino kingpin’ Samrat gets permanent bail in drug case
A Dhaka court today granted permanent bail to former Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, an alleged kingpin of illegal casino business, in another case filed under Narcotics Control Act.
But Samrat cannot walk out of jail as he is yet to secure bail in a graft case, said his lawyer.
Yesterday, he was granted ad-interim bail in money laundering and arms cases filed with Ramna Police Station in 2019.
Judge Tehsin Iftekhar of the 7th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka passed the order after his lawyer moved it on health grounds.
During today's hearing, defence lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji told the court that Samrat had been languishing in jail since October 6 of 2019. Moreover, he had been in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical Univetsity (BSMMU) with different complications, including heart disease. So, his bail petition should be granted, Shomaji added.
On the other hand, the prosecution did not oppose the bail petition, saying that it was the court's discretionary power to grant bail in the case.
Upon hearing both the sides, the judge granted him bail upon a bond of Tk 10,000 with two guarantors.
On December 9 of 2019, Rab Sub-Inspector Abdul Halim and also investigation officer of the case submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka, showing 20 people as prosecution witnesses.
On October 6 of 2019, Rab arrested Samrat, the then president of Dhaka South Jubo League, and his close aide Enamul Haque Arman, former vice-president of the same unit, from Cumilla, raiding a house near the Indian border.
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