BRAC Bank asked to pay Tk 5 lakh to Jahalam by 7 days

The chamber court of the Supreme Court’s (SC) Appellate Division on Monday asked the authorities of BRAC Bank to pay Tk 5 lakh of the total Tk 15 lakh compensation within seven-days to Jahalam who was wrongfully arrested and put behind bars in 26 cases over loan forgery.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, judge of the chamber court of the Appellate Division passed the order after hearing an appeal moved by BRAC Bank Limited.

The court also set October 31 to hold a hearing on the appeal with the regular bench of the Appellate Division.

On August 15, the full text of the High Court (HC) verdict was published which ordered BRAC Bank to pay Tk 15 lakh compensation to Jahalam.

Earlier, on September 30, 2020, the High Court in a verdict ordered BRAC Bank to give Tk 15 lakh as compensation to Jahalam.

However, challenging the verdict, BRAC bank filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the SC.

In April 2012, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed 33 cases over the embezzlement of a huge amount of money from BRAC Bank and Sonali Bank through cheque forgery.

The lawsuits were filed against one Abu Salek but Jahalam was wrongfully arrested in connection with the cases. The jute mill worker Jahalam served three years behind bars in the cases.

Jahalam’s misery came to light when a national daily ran a report on the incident and in 2019, SC lawyer Amit Dasgupta presented the report before the court.

The HC later issued a suo moto rule and heard the explanations of four people, including the representative of the ACC chairman, over the 26 cases. The HC later granted bail to Jahalam.