TK 607CR GRAFT
HC rejects BTCL officials' bail prayers
The High Court on Monday denied bail to the managing director of Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) and three others in corruption cases.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed four separate cases with Banani Police Station on August 29 against Mohammad Kalimullah, MD of the state-owned BTCL, and 22 others for misappropriating over Tk 607 crore by erasing international incoming call records.
Of the accused, 20 are former and present officials of BTCL, including Kalimullah, two retired MDs -- SM Khabiruzzaman and Afsar Alam -- former MD Azizul Islam, who has been made officer on special duty, and former MD Abu Sayeed Khan.
The remaining three accused are Ericsson Bangladesh’s country manager Asif Zahid, relations manager Nazrul Islam and ex-engineer Mashrurul Hakim.
Among the accused, Kalimullah, Asif, Nazrul and Mashrurul on Sunday filed five separate petitions with the HC seeking anticipatory bail in the cases.
On Tuesday, a vacation HC bench of Justice Md Nizamul Huq and Justice Kashefa Hussain rejected their petitions considering that those were not adequately placed before it.
Earlier in the day, the accused petitioners appeared before the bench for bail.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan, who opposed the bail prayers, told The Daily Star that the investigation officers can arrest the accused following the HC order, as there are specific allegations against them of misappropriating money.
Advocate ZI Khan Panna, who appeared for Kalimullah, said his client can seek bail from the HC through submitting another bail petition containing some new grounds.
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