Graft: SC scraps HC’s bail order of C&F agent

The Supreme Court today scrapped a High Court order that granted bail to Mizanur Rahman Chaklader, an agent of Chattagram’s Clearing and Forwarding Agents' Association (C&F), in a case filed on charge of duty dodging and smuggling.

The apex court also ordered Chaklader to surrender to the trial court in two weeks in connection with the case.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain came up with the order after hearing two separate leave to appeal petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the government challenging the HC order. 

Following the SC order, law enforcers and the ACC can arrest Mizanur Rahman Chaklader in the case if he does not surrender to the trial court, ACC’s lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star

He said Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) under the Board of Revenue (NBR) filed the case with Ramna Police Station on January 16 this year against Chaklader on charges of duty dodging, smuggling and forging around 4000 bills of entry.

Following a petition, the HC on July 14 this year granted six months’ ad-interim bail to him (Chaklader) and issued a rule asking the government and ACC to explain why he should not be granted permanent bail in the case, he said.

Advocate Khurshid said then the ACC and government filed two separate leave to appeal petitions with the SC challenging the HC order.

On September 23, the SC chamber judge stayed the HC order and sent the leave to appeal petitions to the full bench of the apex court for its hearing.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the government.