The High Court has denied bail to Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin, who is held in jail for money laundering and embezzlement.
The court also asked the trial court to dispose of the two cases within six months.
The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel made the order on Thursday after virtually hearing a bail petition filed by the top official of Destiny Group on medical grounds.
Senior lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru joined the hearing virtually on behalf of Amin, while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik stood for the state, and advocate Kurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier on July 22, the High Court denied bail to Rafiqul Amin, and postponed the petitions until regular court resumed amidst the government-declared general holidays.
The ACC filed two cases against the Destiny officials, including MD Rafiqul Amin on July 31, 2012, accusing them of money laundering and embezzlement.
On July 31, 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.
Rafiqul Amin has been in jail since October 11, 2012, and sought bail several times, but his 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.
