Samrat gets permanent bail in drug case

A Dhaka Court on Monday granted permanent bail to expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a case filed under Narcotics Control Act, reports UNB.

Dhaka 7th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Tehsin Iftekhar passed the order after Samrat’s counsel Ehsanul Haque Shomaji appealed for his bail.

On Sunday, Samrat secured bail in an arms case and a money laundering case filed against him.

However, Samrat will not be able to walk out of jail as he is yet to get bail in a graft case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said Samrat’s counsel.

Samrat has been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital since 24 November last year.

Earlier, on 6 October in 2019, a team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chauddagram in Cumilla.

RAB later raided his Kakrail office on that day. Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office.

He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act and was sent to jail the same day.

On 7 October, Abdul Khaleque, Deputy Assistant Director of RAB-1 filed two cases against Samrat at Ramna police station under the Arms and the Narcotics Act. Arman was also made accused in the narcotic case.

On 4 November, Shekhar Chandra Mallik, sub-inspector of RAB-1 submitted a charge sheet against Samrat in the arms case.

On 12 November, ACC filed a case against him for acquiring assets worth Tk 29.4 million beyond his known sources of income.

On 12 September, 2020, Rashedur Rahman, sub-inspector of CID filed a case against him at Ramna police station for laundering Tk 1.95 billion (195 crore) to Malaysia and Singapore.

Later, on 26 November last year, the investigation officer of the case, Jahangir Alam, submitted a charge sheet before the court.