E-orange customers file writ seeking Tk77 crore refund

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking its directives to refund Tk77 crore of the customers of e-commerce platform "E-orange".

Besides, through the writ, hundreds of E-orange customers have demanded a proper investigation into the embezzlement case. 

Barrister M Abdul Qayyum on Sunday filed the writ on behalf of 500 customers of the controversial e-commerce company.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Bangladesh Bank and other related parties have been made defendants in the writ petition.

The petition is expected to be heard tomorrow at the High Court bench led by Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukdar.

Unlike other family businesses, E-orange experienced a "robust growth" in sales in only two years since its inception in 2019. 

However, the customers of the company last year started accusing it of failing to deliver on time even after receiving payments.

E-orange owner Sonia Mehzabin, sister of Banani police inspector (investigation) Sheikh Sohel Rana, her husband Masukur Rahman and Sohel's so-called wife Naznin Nahar Bithi, another owner of the company, all have allegedly gobbled up around Tk1,100 crore in advance money without delivering products purchased to customers, according to a case document.

Analysing the data of the company's bank accounts till 20 July, over Tk 620.67 crore was deposited to one of E-orange City bank accounts and a little over Tk663 crore was later transferred to motorcycle vendors. The account now has a deposit of around Tk22 lakh.

Till 30 June this year, over Tk391 crore was deposited to its Brac Bank account and more than Tk388 crore was later withdrawn from this account. At present, there is only around Tk3 crore in the account.

According to the investigation report, Tk349 crore was withdrawn from two bank accounts of E-orange. But there is no clue where the money has gone. It is suspected that the money has been laundered. Several agencies have launched an investigation into it.