Sabah Mannan
On Wednesday, the High Court issued five separate rules asking the government to explain in two weeks why three owners of Apan Jewellers — Dilzar Ahmed, Gulzar Ahmed and Azad Ahmed will not be granted bail in money laundering cases filed by the customs intelligence.After hearing on separate petitions, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim presented the rules. Amid public outrage over allegations about the Banani rape case, customs detectives were closely investigating Apan Jewellers over “illegal transactions”.Five cases were filed by customs against the Ahmed brothers with police stations in Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Ramna and Uttara for money laundering on August 12. Charges of smuggling in gold and jewelries dodging duties and siphoning funds out of the country were brought against the brothers.
Warrants were out for the three after they failed to appear in the trial court for bail renewal even though they secured anticipatory bail from the High Court. On Oct 24, the culprits turned themselves in to the courts in Dhaka after their bail petitions were declined. They have been behind bars ever since.
Source: The Daily Star, BDnews24 and Banglanews24