HC rejects bail of Rana Plaza’s owner

The High Court (HC) today accepted the appeal of Rana Plaza's owner Sohel Rana against a verdict that had awarded him three-year imprisonment in a graft case after rejecting his bail prayer.

Justice Abu Bakar Siddiquee accepted the appeal of Rana for hearing but it stayed the court order of giving fine of Taka 50,000, according to a news agency.

"The court accepted Rana's appeal for hearing but rejected his bail prayer. It also stayed the fine," said lawyer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan.

Earlier on August 29, a trial court sentenced three years imprisonment to Rana and fined Taka 50,000 in a case filed for non-submission of the wealth statement before the ACC.

The ACC served a notice on Rana on April 1, 2015 through Kashimpur Jail authority asking him to submit an asset details before the commission. But, he did not submit his wealth statement to the ACC.

ACC deputy director filed the graft case against Rana with Ramna Police Station for not submitting his asset details.

A chargesheet was placed against Rana before the court on June 1 in 2016. The court framed a charge against him on March 3 in 2017.

Earlier on April 24, 2013, an eight-storey building Rana Plaza was collapsed at Savar, on the outskirts of the capital city, in which over 1,000 people were killed and many others injured.