Sikder Group Managing Director Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder, who are currently in Thailand, have sought anticipatory bail from a virtual High Court bench in a case filed on charges of abducting, torturing and threatening to shoot two top officials of Exim Bank over loan permission.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal is scheduled to hold a virtual hearing on the bail petition today, Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed told The Daily Star last night.

The accused petitioners in the petition prayed to the HC to direct the law enforcers not to harass or arrest them after they return to the country, the DAG said.

There is, however, no legal provision and tradition of seeking anticipatory bail by any accused from the virtual HC bench, the deputy attorney general also said.

Besides, in the normal proceedings of the HC, the accused cannot seek anticipatory bail staying out of the country, DAG Bashir Ahmed said, adding that Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder are now fugitives as they left the country and a fugitive cannot seek anticipatory bail.

He said Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder had jointly filed the anticipatory bail petition on July 2 through Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Muhammad Saifullah Mamun.

The petition was submitted to the HC through email, DAG Bashir Ahmed said.

Eminent lawyer Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC, who is now abroad, is scheduled to appear as senior counsel for the accused petitioners during the virtual hearing on the ball petition, he added.

Contacted, Advocate Muhammad Saifullah Mamun told this newspaper that his client sought anticipatory bail from the virtual HC bench as they are now not in the country.

"If they do not seek anticipatory bail they will be treated as fugitives," the lawyer said, adding that the allegations brought against them are not credible.

Advocate Saifullah Mamun said Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder will virtually appear before the HC bench if the court wants.

Director of Exim Bank Lt Col (Retired) Sirajul Islam filed the case with Gulshan Police Station on May 19 this year against Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder, for allegedly torturing two top officials of the bank and firing at them over a Tk 500-crore loan.

Accused Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder reportedly left the country by air on May 25.

In a statement to the media, the National Bank Limited (NBL), a concern of Sikder Group of Companies, later said the case was "baseless" and "fabricated", adding that Ron Haque Sikder, managing director of Sikder Group, "did not apply for any such loan".