Bail petition rejected in Hall Mark case

A Dhaka court on Wednesday rejected the bail petitions of two Hall-Mark Group high ups and a Deputy General Manager of Sonali Bank in 11 cases filed in connection with the irregularities of the Group’s loan.Dhaka’s Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahurul Haque passed the order rejecting the petitions filed on behalf of the Group’s Managing Director Tanveer Mahmud, his brother-in-law and Group’s General Manager Tushar Ahmed and Sonali Bank’s Deputy General Manager Safiuddin Ahmed.
On the contrary, the court fixed January 22 for submission of the compliance report about court’s warrant order against 17 absconding accused in the cases. A petition seeking time was submitted on behalf of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), as they failed to submit the report on Wednesday.
On September 15, ACC filed the charge sheet against 25 accused including the 17 fugitives. Later, on November 13, the court issued warrant order against the fugitives.
The ACC on October 4 of last year had filed the cases against 27 top officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group for swindling over
Tk 2,600 crore from the Ruposhi Bangla branch of state-run Sonali Bank.
According to a Bangladesh Bank investigation, Hall-Mark in connivance with some bank officials pocketed the amount from the Ruposhi Bangla branch of Sonali Bank on forged documents.  – Court Correspondent