A virtual court in Dhaka has granted ad-interim bail to Partha Gopal Banik, a suspended deputy inspector general (prisons) of Sylhet division, in a case filed over the recovery of Tk 80 lakh from his residence in Dhaka even though the prosecution raised a serious objection.

Judge Md Iqbal Hossain of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka on Thursday granted bail to the accused after a long hearing, digitally, from the prosecution and the defence.

The judge granted him bail till July 15 upon a bond of Tk 50,000 with two guarantors, one of whom must be a local guardian and the other a practicing lawyer, an official of the ACC confirmed The Daily Star.

During the hearing, Ehsanul Haque Shomaji told the court his client has been languishing in jail since July of 2019. Moreover, it is uncertain when the trial will be concluded. His client had declared the money, which was shown as illegal money in the case, in his tax return, the lawyer claimed. Moreover, his client's wife earlier tested positive for Covid-19.

On the other hand, ACC Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol told the court that there was a specific allegation of money laundering against the accused and he could not show the valid source of income. Moreover, two prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case had already given their statements before the court.

Earlier on November 4 last year, the same court framed charges against the accused in the case.