Ex-army chief Harun gets bail in Destiny case

The High Court on Tuesday granted six months' bail to Destiny Group President Lieutenant General (retd) M Harun-Ar-Rashid in a case in which the former army chief was jailed for four years on charges of embezzling customers' investments.

At the same time, the High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat asked the registrar general's office of the Supreme Court to prepare the "paper book" – which contains all details of a case, trial proceedings, statements, evidence, orders, verdict and other relevant documents – within three months for the appeal hearing in the case.

Senior lawyer Advocate Yusuf Hussain Humayun and Advocate Rabiul Alam Budu moved for Harun's bail plea in the High Court.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.

Rabiul Alam told journalists that the High Court granted Lt Gen Harun bail on health grounds as he has been under treatment at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital's prison cell after the trial court verdict.

The defence counsel said there is no bar to the former army chief's getting released from jail as he faces no other case.  

Speaking to reporters, ACC Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said, "I have informed the Anti-Corruption Commission about the High Court's granting bail to Gen Harun. We will take further steps for filing an appeal against the bail order according to the ACC decision."

Earlier on 9 June, the same High Court bench rejected the bail plea of Gen Harun.

At the same time, the court summoned the records of the case from the trial court. Later, on 29 June, the HC ordered the formation of a medical board for the treatment of Gen Harun.

On 12 May this year, the former army chief was sentenced to four years in prison, while Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin was sentenced to 12 years in a case over embezzling and laundering Tk1,861 crore of Destiny customers' money.

In the case, 44 other accused were imprisoned to different terms varying from five to nine years.

Later Harun-Ar-Rashid filed an appeal and bail plea with the High court against the trial court verdict.