A Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to former state minister Abdul Mannan, allegedly beyond its jurisdiction, until October 13 in a corruption case filed for accumulating illegal wealth worth Tk75.04 lakh.
Judge Md Emdadul Haque of the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court allowed bail on a Tk50,000 bond.
Defence counsel Syed Rezaur Rahman filed the bail petition on health ground after Mannan had surrendered before the court earlier in the day.
In the bail prayer, the counsel said his client had been a cardiac patient. “The political rival group has implicated him to ruin his political image and harass him.”
When the court enquired the accused about his health, he unbuttoned his panjabi to show open heart surgery marks.
In response to another query, the former lawmaker said: “Every accused has the right to enjoy bail. I have surrendered before the court since I respect the law. I am ill and have been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes.”
ACC counsel Kabir Hossain opposed the bail mentioning that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the bail petition.
‘‘According to the law, only the Special Judge’s Court is entitled to hear such matter and make a decision,” he added.
The Anti-Corruption Commission on August 21 filed the case against Mannan, a former Awami League lawmaker from Dohar, since he had concealed information of wealth worth around Tk4.60 lakh and accumulated illegal wealth worth Tk75.04 lakh.
Mannan is among the three against who the ACC filed cases on that day on charge of amassing illegal wealth.
The anomalies appeared after the ACC investigators analysed his wealth statements, income tax returns and other relevant records.
Asked if the ACC would challenge Mannan’s bail, lawyer Kabir said he had already written to the authorities seeking directives for further proceedings.
The ACC earlier termed the metropolitan magistrate’s court “not competent” to deal with the bail petitions of accused in corruption cases.
He also said the same court had earlier granted bail to 22 highups of Destiny 2000 Limited beyond its jurisdiction. Later their bails were cancelled after the ACC had appealed with a Senior Special Judge’s Court.