Shawdesh Desk:

Former jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique secured a six-month bail from the High Court in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission over the misuse of power in leasing a piece of state-owned land on Monday.

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque issued the order.

Advocate Monsurul Haque Chowdhury represented Siddiqui while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC. Khan said they would move the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the bail order.

Another High Court bench had turned down Siddiqui’s bail petition on Oct 1. The former minister sought bail from the court on Sep 26.

Earlier in June 20, a Bogura court sent the former Awami Leaguer leader to jail after scrapping his bail in the case.

According to the case statement, Latif Siddique misused his power and resorted to corruption while  selling 2.38 acres of land controlled by the Bangladesh Jute Corporation in Adamdighi Upazila’s Dariapur. He sold the land to his acquaintance Jahanara Rashid, without floating a tender.

The market value of the land was Tk 6.4 million as per the government’s assessment but he sold it for Tk 2.3 million.

Aminul Islam, the assistant director of the ACC’s Bogura branch, started a case against Latif with Adamdighi police in December, 2017.

The charge sheet was filed by the police in February this year.