HC denies bail, hands over accused to police in PMO signature forgery case

A High Court bench rejected the bail plea of a man named Karim Mia who forged the seal and signature of an official of the Prime Minister's Office.

The accused was then handed over to Shahbagh police.

Justice Sheikh Md Jakir Hossain and K M Zahid Sarwar Kajal passed the order on Wednesday.

Deputy Attorney General Md Monirul Islam represented the state in the court and Md Amjad Hossain spoke in favour of the bail application.

With regards to the case, Deputy Attorney General Monirul Islam said, "Accused Karim Mia forged the seal and signature of Assistant Military Secretary Md Saif Ullah of the Prime Minister's Office.

A case of forgery was subsequently filed against three individuals. Although two accused were arrested in the case, Karim Mia had been absconding. Later, he pleaded to the High Court for anticipatory bail. After hearing the application, the High Court denied his bail and handed him over to the police."

According to the lawyers, on 14 February last year, the highway police stopped a truck carrying bamboo from Lalmonirhat to Dhaka on the Rangpur-Bogura highway at 5am in front of the Bara Eidgah police outpost.

When interrogated, the truck driver Azim Uddin and his helper Motaleb Hossain said the bamboo was being taken to the Prime Minister's residence for an official ceremony.

They then showed the police a letter with the forged signature of Assistant Military Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office Saif Ullah. They claimed that they had received the document from Karim Mia, the owner of the truck.

Suspecting foul play, the police seized the vehicle.

When contacted by the police, Saif Ullah said that no such letter was issued from the Prime Minister's Office. The accused then confessed to forging the signatures.

Moazzem Hossain, sub-inspector of Baradargah police outpost in Pirganj, Rangpur, later filed a case against Karim Mia and others.