Money laundering must not be taken lightly: SC

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court said that money laundering is a serious financial offence so it must not be taken lightly and anyone involved must not get exemption easily.

The court said this on Tuesday while scrapping the High Court's order that granted bail to the former general secretary of the Wanderers Club Joy Gopal Sarkar in four cases including money laundering.

Earlier on 18 August, the High Court granted bail to Joy Gopal in the cases filed against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). 

Later, ACC appealed to the Supreme Court to cancel the bail.

Advocate Khurshid Alam, who represented ACC on Tuesday, said, the Supreme Court's observation is important and can be presented during other hearings of similar cases in the High Court so that no accused can have an easy way out in money laundering cases.

Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed represented the state on Tuesday while Advocate Md Momtaz Uddin represented Joy Gopal.

Joy Gopal was a footballer of Wanderers Club. Following retirement, he became its board member, later serving as a cashier. In 2014, he became the general secretary of the club.

According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Joy Gopal introduced Enamul Haque Enu and his brother Rupon Bhuiyan - known as the casino brothers - to this business.

On 13 January last year, the CID arrested Enu and Rupon ─ both leaders of the Awami League's Gendaria wing ─ along with an accomplice from a building in Keraniganj - over alleged ties to an illegal casino business.

A case was later filed against them under the Money Laundering Act at Gandaria Police Station.

The CID arrested Joy Gopal from Lalbagh on 13 July after his name came up in statements provided by Enu and Rupon under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The next day, a Dhaka court sent Gopal Sarker to jail and he has been in custody ever since.