SC denies bail to Hallmark chairman Jasmine
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has denied bail to Jasmine Islam, chairman of Hallmark Group, in a corruption case.
The five-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, issued the order on Thursday, adjourning the hearing of Jasmine’s appeal against the High Court’s decision for three months.
Senior lawyer Ruhul Kuddus Kajol represented Jasmine in court, while Senior Lawyer Asif Hossain appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC filed the case against Jasmine, accusing her of embezzling 85 crore 87 lakh taka from Janata Bank by opening fraudulent Letters of Credit. The High Court had granted her bail on March 10, 2019, but the Supreme Court's Appellate Division annulled this order on June 16 of the same year, following an appeal by the ACC, and directed Jasmine to surrender to the court within four weeks.
On August 30, 2022, a High Court bench, led by Justices Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khizir Hayat, rejected Jasmine’s bail application. Jasmine then appealed to the Appellate Division, seeking bail again.
