The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a High Court verdict that granted bail to Erfan Salim, son of ruling Awami League Lawmaker Haji Md Salim, in a case filed over attacking a navy officer in October last year.

A full bench of the SC's Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain dismissed a leave to appeal petition filed by the state, challenging the HC verdict.

There is no legal bar for Erfan to get released from Dhaka Central Jail following the apex court order, his lawyer Sayed Ahmed Raza told The Daily Star.

He said Erfan would be freed from jail after the copy of the SC order reaches the jail authorities.

The Appellate Division upheld the HC bail for Erfan on the ground that the charge brought against him is bailable and he has been suffering in jail for around six months.

The lawyer said other accused of the case are now in prison.

During yesterday's hearing, Additional Attorney General Sk Md Morshed opposed the HC bail for Erfan, saying that he has committed a heinous offence by attacking and injuring Lt Wasif Ahmed Khan, an official of Bangladesh Navy.

The trial proceedings of the case against Erfan is underway and therefore, he may not be granted bail at this stage, he argued.

Erfan's principal counsel Abdul Baset Majumder told the apex court that his client has been languishing in jail for around six months. 

Erfan's mother died in November last year and his father is infected with Covid-19 and therefore, the Appellate Division's stay order on his HC bail needs to be vacated for his release from jail, the lawyer said.

Following a bail petition filed by Erfan, the HC on March 18 granted him permanent bail in the case.

Later, the state filed a petition with the SC seeking stay on the HC verdict that granted bail to Erfan in the case and after hearing the stay petition, the apex court chamber judge on March 28 stayed for four weeks the HC verdict.

The SC chamber judge also asked the state to move a regular leave to appeal petition before its full bench in four weeks against the HC verdict.

On October 25, the navy officer filed the case with Dhanmondi Police Station against Erfan, 37, and three others AB Siddique Dipu, 45, Md Zahid 35, and Md Mizanur Rahman, 30, for attacking him.

A Rab team conducted a drive at Erfan's house in Old Dhaka and arrested him the same day.