HC grants interim bail to ex-minister Latif Siddiqui

The High Court on Monday granted a six-month interim bail to former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), reports UNB. 

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque issued the order.

Advocate Monsurul Haque Chowdhury represented Siddiqui while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC. Khan said they would move the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the bail order.

Another High Court bench had turned down Siddiqui’s bail petition on Oct 1. The former minister sought bail from the court on Sep 26.

A corruption case was filed at Adamdighi Police Station against Siddiqui and one Jahanara Rashid on October 17, 2017. They were accused of incurring a loss of Tk 40.7 lakh to the state.

According to the case statement, Siddiqui sold 2.38 acres of land of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation at Dariapur village in Adamdighi upazila to Jahanara without floating tender.

On February 18 last, ACC Assistant Director Md Aminul Islam submitted the charge sheet against him in the corruption case. 

On June 20, a Bogura court sent Latif Siddiqui to jail rejecting his bail plea in the case.