Money laundering case: Destiny MD denied bail

The Supreme Court today refused to grant bail to Destiny Group Managing Director Md Rafiqul Amin in a case filed on charge of laundering around Tk 2,200 crore.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim kept a petition, filed by Rafiqul Amin seeking bail in the case, stand over (waiting for hearing) for six months.

The apex court passed the order of stand over as the lower court concerned is expected to finish the trial proceedings of the case soon in line with its earlier directive, Rafiqul's lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque told The Daily Star.

The SC on October 29 last year asked the lower court concerned to finish trial proceedings of the case within one year.

The lawyer said Rafiqul Amin, who is sick, has been in the custody for 11 years and eight months, as he has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in another money laundering case.

Senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti Corruption Commission during the hearing today.

The SC today dismissed two separate petitions filed by Md Rafiqul Amin, seeking bail in two money laundering cases involving Tk 4,200 crore.

On November 13, 2016, Destiny Group MD and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd Chairman Mohammad Hossain were granted bail by the Appellate Division on condition that they must pay the government Tk 2,800 crore in six weeks by selling 35 lakh matured trees planted under the company's tree plantation project.

Rafiqul and Mohammad Hossain have not paid the money yet in line with the SC directive.