6 BNP-backed GCC councillors free to walk out of jail

The High Court today granted bail to six BNP-backed ward councillors of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) in an arson case, clearing the way of their walk out of jail.

The bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah granted the ad-interim bail after hearing an appeal filed by the accused councillors of different wards of GCC seeking bail in the case.

The accused councillors are-Tanvir Ahmed, Md Shafiuddin, Sheikh Mohammad Alek, Hannan Miah alias Hanu, Md Shahidul Islam and Faisal Ahmed Sarkar. They are now in a Gazipur jail, their lawyer Advocate Abu Hanif told The Daily Star.

He said there is no legal bar for his clients to get released from jail following the HC order.

The lawyer said police filed the case against the accused with Joydevpur Police Station on April 15 last year on charge of setting fire to a vehicle.

A Gazipur court on July 11 this year sent them to jail after rejecting their bail petition in the case.

The accused sought bail after surrendering before the court the same day, Advocate Hanif said, adding that the accused filed an appeal with the HC yesterday challenging the Gazipur court’s rejection order.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told this correspondent that the government will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the HC order of bail.