‘Casino kingpin’ Samrat gets bail in money laundering, arms cases

Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, a former Jubo League leader and one of the "casino kingpins" in Dhaka, today secured ad-interim bail in two cases, including one filed over money laundering.

But he cannot walk out of jail as he is accused in several other cases including graft ones, his lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji told our court correspondent.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain granted the bail in the case filed against him over laundering Tk 195 crore.

Meanwhile, Judge Faisal Atiq Bin Kader of Dhaka Metropolitan Special Tribunal-2 granted bail to Samrat, former president of Dhaka South unit of Jubo League, in an arms case after his lawyer moved the petition on health grounds.

During today's hearing, lawyer Shomaji told the two courts that his client had been languishing in jail since October 6, 2019. Moreover, he had been in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) with different ailments, including heart problem for a long period. So, his bail petitions should be granted, the lawyer added.

He further said Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating the money laundering case, is yet to submit probe report before the court even though it was filed in September of 2020.

Bail petitions in the corruption and drug cases against Samrat will be submitted tomorrow and April 13 with the seventh Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court and the Special Judge's Court-6 of Dhaka respectively, said Shomaji.

On October 6, 2019, Rab members arrested Samrat, and his close aide Enamul Haque Arman, former vice-president of the same unit, in Cumilla after raiding a house near Indian border.

He came under the spotlight after Rab busted his illegal casino business at different sporting clubs in Dhaka. He was expelled from the Jubo League following his arrest.