Money laundering case against SK Sinha: HC questions bail of 2 accused

The High Court today questioned a lower court order that granted bail to AKM Shamim and Gazi Salahuddin, two co-accused in a Tk 4 crore money laundering case against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

AKM Shamim is a former managing director of Farmers Bank Ltd and Gazi Salahuddin is a former senior executive vice-president and head of credit division of the bank.

They secured bail from a Dhaka court on February 20 after they surrendered to the court in connection with the case.

Today, the HC issued a rule asking the state why the bail order to the accused should not be scrapped.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the rule following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission seeking cancellation of the order of bail.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star there are specific allegations against Shamim and Salahuddin of laundering money and therefore, they cannot be granted bail in the case.                                    

The ACC filed the case with the anti-graft watchdog's Segunbagicha office on July 10 last year against former chief justice SK Sinha and 10 others on charge of laundering Tk 4 crore.

Sinha sent his resignation letter to the Bangabhaban on November 10, 2017 from abroad.

He is now in the United States.