Release Jahalom today: HC to jail authorities

The High Court on Sunday directed the jail authorities to immediately release innocent Jahalom who was in jail for the last three years instead of the real accused Abu Salek in 33 corruption cases.

The High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the order while hearing a rule filed over the legality of Jahalom’s jailing.

The court passed the order after the Director General (DG) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), plaintiff of the cases and two other government officials appeared before it.

The court also fixed February 6 for further hearing on a rule.

Earlier on January 20, the same HC bench passed the suo moto order following a report published on Daily Prothom Alo with a title : “Wrong accused in jail in 33 cases: Sir I am Jahalom, not Salek.”

Later, the HC summoned the ACC DG and the three to explain why a person named Jahalom, instead of the real accused, was in jail for the last three years.

The report said Jahalom, a jute mill worker, has been serving in jail in place of real accused Abu Salek in 33 cases of embezzling Tk 18 crore from Sonali Bank.