The High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque in two murder cases filed with Jatrabari and Mirpur police stations over incidents during the July movement.
Lawyers said there is now no legal bar to his release.
A High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order following separate bail petitions.
Senior lawyers Mansurul Haque Chowdhury and Motahar Hossain Saju, along with Advocate Md Jahangir Hossain, appeared for the bail petitions.
Khairul Haque was arrested at his Dhanmondi residence on July 24, 2025. He was later shown to be arrested in the murder case of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Qayyum Ahad, filed with Jatrabari Police Station over violence during the July movement.
Besides this case, four other cases were filed against him.
On August 27, Supreme Court lawyer Mujahidul Islam Shaheen filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station alleging forgery in a judgment related to the caretaker government system.
Two more cases on similar allegations were filed on August 25 at the Fatulla Police Station and Bandar Police Station.
Earlier, on August 4, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed another case against him over allegations related to plot fraud.
After lower courts denied him bail in those cases, Khairul Haque sought bail from the High Court, which later issued a rule in connection with the petitions.
On March 8, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Khairul Alam and Justice Md Sagir Hossain granted him bail in four cases by making the rule absolute. He was later granted bail in the ACC case on March 11.
The state subsequently appealed to the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the bail orders. However, a four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by the chief justice, rejected the plea on April 28.
Meanwhile, Khairul Haque was shown to be arrested in two additional murder cases filed with Jatrabari and Mirpur police stations in connection with the July movement. After lower courts denied bail in those cases, he again sought relief from the High Court.
Khairul Haque served as the country’s 19th chief justice after being appointed on September 27, 2010. He assumed office on September 30 that year and retired on May 17, 2011. He later served as chairman of the Law Commission on three occasions.