The High Court (HC) yesterday granted bail to 12 people including nine politicians in separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), police and individuals.
Responding to separate bail petitions filed by the accused, two division benches of the HC granted anticipatory and ad interim bail.
The benches also issued separate rules upon the government to explain as to why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail and the proceedings against them should not be quashed.
Meanwhile, BNP chief Khaleda Zia filed a petition with the HC for bail in the "Zia Orphanage Trust" fund embezzlement case.
The people who were granted bail include former information minister M Shamsul Islam and former agriculture minister MK Anwar, BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahaman, his close friend and controversial businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun, former BNP state minister Barkat Ullah Bulu, former BNP deputy minister Asadul Habib Dulu and former BNP lawmakers Shahidul Islam Master, Mashiur Rahman and Abul Khair Bhuiyan and former Awami League lawmaker Ali Reza Raju.
The HC bench comprised of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad granted anticipatory bail to 11 people.
The HC bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal granted six-month's ad interim bail to Tarique Rahman in the Tk 1-crore extortion case filed by Amin Ahmed, owner of Al-Amin Constructions Ltd.
Tarique has 13 cases filed against him. He filed six petitions with the HC yesterday for bail in six cases filed against him. He earlier obtained bail in seven other cases.
Meanwhile, another HC bench stayed proceedings against former BNP minister Mirza Abbas and former BNP state minister Lutfozzaman Babar in separate cases filed by the ACC in connection with amassing wealth illegally and concealing wealth information to the ACC.
The HC bench of Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuque Hossain Ahmed stayed proceedings of the case against Mirza Abbas for three months. An HC bench headed by Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader stayed the proceedings of the case against Lutfozzaman Babar.
The HC bench comprised of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad granted anticipatory bail to M Shamsul Islam and MK Anwar until framing of charges in the Barapukuria coalmine scam case.
The bench did the same for Barkat Ullah Bulu, his wife Shamima Ahkter and son Omar Sharif Md Imran in a case filed by the ACC in connection with amassing wealth illegally and concealing wealth information to the ACC.
Bulu, who was absconding for about 19 months, appeared before the HC bench yesterday to obtain bail.
The HC bench also granted ad interim bail to Asadul Habib Dulu in a corruption case filed in connection with misappropriating government relief materials.
Former BNP lawmaker Mashiur Rahman, also Jhenidah district BNP president, obtained anticipatory bail from the bench in a murder case filed in connection with the killing of Subodh Kumar Kundu, a local businessman, in September, 2007.
Shahidul Islam Master also got anticipatory bail valid until police submits report on four extortion cases and one relief material misappropriation case filed against him.
The HC granted three-month's bail to Ali Reza Raju and Abul Khair Bhuiyan in separate cases filed by ACC in connection with amassing wealth illegally and concealing wealth information. The court also stayed proceedings against them for three months.
The HC bench granted six-month's ad interim bail to Giasuddin Al Mamun in four extortion cases. Mamun is accused in 14 criminal cases and obtained ad interim bail in five cases earlier.
KHALEDA'S BAIL PETITION
Khaleda Zia, arrested in four corruption cases, filed a bail petition yesterday with the HC for the first time since her arrest on September 3 last year.
She filed the petition with the HC bench of Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad in the "Zia Orphanage Trust" fund embezzlement case filed by the ACC.
Tarique is also an accused in the case.
A counsel for Khaleda and Tarique yesterday told The Daily Star that hearings on the bail petitions of Khaleda and Tarique could be held today. He said Khaleda would soon file petitions for bail in the Gatco, Niko and Barapukuria graft cases.
The ACC on July 3 filed a case against Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and five others in connection with embezzling over Tk 2.10 crore by forming Zia Orphanage Trust, which only existed on paper.
The five other accused in the case are former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque, Syed Ahmed alias Sayeed Ahmed, Gias Uddin Ahmed, Sharfuddin Ahmed and Mominur Rahman, son of Khaleda's sister.