Expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Papia granted bail for six months

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday granted six months of bail to expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for amassing wealth beyond her known sources of income.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order.

Papia‍‍`s lawyer said there is no legal bar for her to get released from jail. 

Advocates Rabiul Alam and Mohammad Hossain appeared for the bail petitioner while senior advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC.

Later, Advocate Rabiul Alam said Papia had earlier got bail in various cases, including a case filed under the Arms Act. There is no bar on her release as she has been granted bail in the case.

ACC advocate Khurshid Alam Khan said Papia‍‍`s lawyer has sought bail on the grounds that she has been in jail for a long time.

“The ACC objected to the bail. After the hearing, the court granted her bail for six months,” he added.

Earlier, on February 23, 2020, Rab raided two flats belonging to Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman Sumon, a day after arresting them from Dhaka airport.
 
Counterfeit notes and foreign currencies worth around Tk 2.5 lakh were seized from them during the drive.
 
About Tk 58 lakh was recovered from the two flats on Indira Road in Dhaka belonging to the couple and a presidential suite at a five-star hotel in the capital.
 
Apart from the lavish flats, Papia and her former Chhatra League leader husband own two more flats and two plots worth around Tk 2 crore in Narsingdi and a number of luxurious cars.
 
Three cases were filed against them – two at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the Arms Act and the Special Powers Acts and another with Airport Police under the Special Powers Act-1974.

On August 4, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case against Papia and her husband for embezzling Tk 6.24 crore.

On October 12, 2020, a Dhaka court sentenced Papia and Mofizur Rahman Sumon to 27 years imprisonment each in the arms case.