The High Court today granted ad-interim bail to former Barishal City Corporation mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal, who was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a corruption case, clearing the way for him to walk out of jail.

The HC bench of Justice Md Salim granted bail to Ahsan Habib Kamal for six months following an appeal filed by him, challenging the trial court verdict that sentenced him to seven years in prison.

In the appeal, Ahsan Habib also sought bail from the HC.

Ahsan Habib's filing lawyer Shanjid Siddique told The Daily Star that there is no legal bar stopping his client's release from jail following the HC order.

The HC granted bail to Ahsan Habib because he is sick, and he will not misuse his bail, the lawyer said.

Lawyers Muhammad Yusuf Hossain Humayun and Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal also appeared for Ahsan Habib while lawyer AKM Farhan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The court of Barishal Divisional Special Judge Mohsinul Haque on November 9 last year sentenced Ahsan Habib and four others to seven years in prison in the corruption case filed over embezzlement of Tk 45 lakh.

The court also fined Kamal, former fisheries affairs secretary of BNP central committee, and one Zakir Hossain, a contractor, Tk 1 crore each.