SC: Pay Tk2,500cr to secure bail for 2 Destiny officials

The Supreme Court has granted conditional bail to two top Destiny officials in two money laundering cases. A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order on Sunday afternoon. The court said Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd Chairman Mohammad Hossain can be released on bail if they pay Tk2,500 crore within six weeks. The money is subjected to be paid back to their subscribers by the government, the court added. The court also disposed off two leave-to-appeal pleas filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) challenging a High Court bail order. ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told reporters: “They can secure bail after fulfilling the condition.” The court asked Destiny to sell their 35 lakhs trees which were planted with the subscribers' money under Tree Plantation program and deposit Tk2800 crore to the government treasury. However, it said Rafiqul and Hossain can be released on bail if they pay Tk2,500 crore. On July 20, the HC had granted bail to them on condition of surrendering passports. The ACC challenged the decision with the Supreme Court. The money laundering case involving Tk4,200 crore was filed against 22 Destiny group officials in 2012 by the ACC.