The High Court (HC) yesterday granted bail to former Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Helaluddin and his wife Rupa Chowdhury in two cases, in which they were earlier sentenced to different terms of imprisonment.
An HC bench of Justice Md Shamsul Huda and Justice Abu Bakar Siddiquee gave the bail orders upon separate appeals by Sheikh Helal and his wife against the lower court verdicts.
Sheikh Helal, also a cousin of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was convicted in two cases filed on charges of corruption and extortion, while his wife was convicted in the corruption case only.
The bail will continue until disposal of the appeals, the HC order said.
Advocate Sayeed Ahmed Raja, a lawyer for Sheikh Helal and Rupa, said now there is no bar to the release of his clients from jail following the HC orders.
On May 9 this year, Judge (in charge) Mohammad Mozammel Hossain of the Special Court-6, sent Helal and Rupa to jail after they surrendered to it in connection with the corruption case.
Helal was shown arrested in the extortion case on the same day.
On February 24, 2008, the special court sentenced Helal to 13 years' imprisonment in the graft case filed for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information on wealth from the Anti-Corruption Commission, while Rupa was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for abetting her husband in acquiring wealth illegally.
On February 12, 2008, another Dhaka court sentenced Helal to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for extorting Tk 1.02 crore from a construction firm owner.
Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder appeared for the accused.