Ex-Jubo League leader Samrat to 'remain in jail' as SC rules against bail

The Appellate Division upholds the High Court's decision to overturn his bail in an illegal wealth case

Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, a Jubo League leader who was expelled for his alleged ties to a gambling racket, has lost an appeal challenging the High Court's decision to cancel his bail in an illegal wealth case.

A three-member panel of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Nuruzzaman gave the ruling on Samrat's appeal on Wednesday.

Lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury appeared on behalf of Samrat while the Anti-Corruption Commission, which brought the charges against him, was represented by Khurshid Alam Khan.

Samrat had secured bail in the case from a lower court on May 11. But the High Court overturned the decision in response to an ACC petition on May 18. At the same time, it ordered Samrat to turn himself over to the authorities within seven days.

Samrat subsequently surrendered to Dhaka's Special Judge's Court on May 23 and was sent back to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital to continue his treatment for a 'chronic heart disease' under the supervision of jail authorities.

In light of the Appellate Division's decision, he will now have to 'remain in jail', according to ACC lawyer Khurshid.

Samrat, the former president of Jubo League’s Dhaka South unit, came under scrutiny over his alleged ties to the illegal gambling business after the Rapid Action Battalion busted casino operations in numerous clubs in the capital in September 2020.

He subsequently went into hiding before being arrested in Cumilla on Oct 6 that year.

Samrat was implicated in four cases relating to the possession of firearms, narcotics, money laundering and illegal wealth acquisition. He managed to secure bail in all four cases.

In response, the ACC moved the High Court to review the bail orders on May 14.

Prior to that, Samrat had been undergoing treatment at BSMMU for about one and a half years