ACC files plea challenging Farmers Bank MD’s bail

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has challenged the February 13 order of a metropolitan magistrate that granted bail to former Farmers Bank Managing Director and CEO, Chowdhury Mustaque Ahmed in a case filed over embezzling Tk 29 crore from the bank.

ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood on Sunday filed an appeal with the Dhaka's Senior Special Judge's Court seeking cancellation of the bail to Chowdhury Mustaqueand an order to send him to jail in the case.

After admitting the appeal, Judge KM EmrulKayesh fixed April 8 for hearing on the issue, said ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir.

The appeal said the lower court has no jurisdiction to grant bail in such case, adding that the Supreme Court cancelled his bail granted by the High Court. So the bail order of the metropolitan magistrate should be cancelled. 

On February 13, Metropolitan Magistrate Md Masud-Ur Rahman granted bail to Chowdhury Mustaque, even though the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court cancelled his bail.

The court granted bail considering his health condition and social status. Moreover, he is now a managing director of National Bank Ltd.

On October 28 last year, ACC Deputy Director Shamsul Alam filed a case with Gulshan Police Station against seven people including Mustaque Ahmed.

Following the case, Mustaque Ahmed surrendered before the High Court on December 10 last year seeking bail.

After the hearing, the HC granted him eight weeks ad-interim bail and directed him to surrender before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka.

But in January the ACC challenged the HC order with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The apex court set aside the HC order and directed Mustaque to surrender before the lower court.