The High Court has denied bail to Destiny Group Chairman Mohammad Hossain and Managing Director Rafiqul Amin, who are being jailed for money laundering and embezzlement.
The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder came up with the decision after virtually hearing four (two from each accused) bail petitions filed by the two top officials of Destiny Group on medical grounds on Wednesday.
State lawyer for the bench, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
The court postponed the petitions until regular court was resumed amidst the ongoing government-declared general holidays.
Senior lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru and Barrister M Mainul Islam virtually joined the hearing on behalf of Hossain and Amin, while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik stood for the state, and Advocate Kurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Amin Uddin Manik told Dhaka Tribune: “We have submitted a newspaper report that stated that Destiny MD and some other accused have been staying at hospitals for a long time. Then the court asked the ACC to inform the High Court as to how he is staying at hospital for such a long period.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the two top officials of the controversial Destiny Group petitioned the High Court, seeking bail.
The ACC filed two cases against the company officials, including MD Rafiqul Amin and Director Lt Gen (retd) Md Harun-or-Rashid, on July 31, 2012, accusing them of money laundering and embezzlement.
On July 31 of 2012, ACC Deputy Director Mozahar Ali Sarder filed a case with Kalabagan police station against 12 Destiny Group officials for laundering Tk2,106.64 crore out of Destiny’s tree plantation project.
On the same day, ACC Assistant Director Towfiqul Islam filed another case against 22 top officials of the company, including the aforementioned 12, for laundering Tk1,178.61 crore from Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited (DMCSL).
The ACC claimed that the company laundered a total of Tk3,285 crore, cheating investors out of their fortunes.
Mohammad Hossain and Rafiqul Amin have both been in jail since October 11, 2012, and have sought bail several times, but their petitions have been rejected, according to sources familiar with the case.
Of the 22 accused, five are currently out on bail, according to the bail petitions filed on Tuesday. They are - Harun Ur Rashid, Ziaul Haque Mollah, Jesmin Akhter Milon, Omor Faruk and Saidul Islam Rubel.
