SC upholds ex-minister Latif Siddiqui’s bail

The Appellate Division today upheld  the High Court bail to former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui in a corruption case and paved the way for his release from jail.

A four-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order and rejected the leave to appeal petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

There is no legal bar to Latif Siddiqui to get released from jail following the order, said his lawyer Monsurul Haque Chowdhury. 

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for ACC.

Earlier on November 11, the top court stayed a six-month interim bail granted by the High Court on November 4.

Another High Court bench had turned down his bail petition on Oct 1. The former minister sought bail from the court on Sep 26.

A corruption case was filed at Adamdighi Police Station against Siddiqui and one Jahanara Rashid on October 17, 2017. They were accused of incurring a loss of Tk 40.7 lakh to the state.

According to case statement, Siddiqui sold 2.38 acres of land of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation at Dariapur village in Adamdighiupazila to Jahanara without floating tender.

On February 18 last, ACC Assistant Director MdAminul Islam submitted the charge sheet against him in the corruption case.

On June 20, a Bogura court sent LatifSiddiqui to jail rejecting his bail plea in the case.