SC asks Brac Bank to pay Jahalam Tk5 lakh compensation in 7 days
The chamber court of the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Brac Bank authorities to pay Tk5 lakh of the total Tk15 lakh compensation within seven days to jute mill worker Jahalam who was wrongfully arrested and put behind bars in 26 cases of loan fraud.
The chamber judge Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order after hearing an appeal moved by the private sector lender.
The court also set 31 October to hold a hearing on the appeal at the Appellate Division bench headed by the chief justice, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told journalists.
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Earlier on 15 August, the full text of the High Court verdict was published ordering Brac Bank to pay Tk15 lakh compensation to Jahalam.
The bank filed an appeal against the HC verdict.
On 30 September 2020, the High Court ordered Brac Bank to give Tk15 lakh in compensation to Jahalam.
In April 2012, the ACC filed 33 cases over the embezzlement of a huge amount of money from Brac Bank and Sonali Bank by cheque fraud. The lawsuits were filed against Salek. However, Jahalam was arrested in 26 cases even though police accused Salek in those lawsuits.
Jahalam's misery came to light when a national daily ran a report titled "Wrongfully accused in 33 cases, I am Jahalam, not Salek."
In 2019, Supreme Court lawyer Amit Dasgupta presented the report before the court. Meanwhile, jute mill worker Jahalam had served three years behind bars.
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.
