A Dhaka court today extended bail of Ron Haque Sikder, managing director of Sikder Group, until April 11 in a case filed over abducting, torturing and opening fire on two Exim Bank officials.
Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order after a hearing on two petitions -- one for granting Ron's permanent bail and the other for exempting him from personal appearance in the court -- in this case.
The prosecution, however, submitted a petition seeking cancellation of the bail on grounds that Ron and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder abducted, tortured and opened fire on two Exim Bank officials after they refused to sanction a loan of Tk 500 crore.
Moreover, the two brothers fled to Bangkok on an air ambulance with government permission to avoid the arrest; so, his bail should be cancelled, the prosecution added.
When defence submitted a petition seeking extension of his bail, it said their client is unwell and is a law-abiding man. He is a renowned businessman and will never misuse the privilege of bail, the defence added.
Defence also said their client was falsely implicated in the case. So, he should be exempted from personal appearance before the court, the defence lawyer added.
Upon hearing both sides, the magistrate extended Ron's bail till April 11 and set the same date for hearing on the petitions -- one for exempting personal appearance and the other for cancellation of bail.
A Gulshan division team of Detective Branch of police arrested Ron soon after he landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 10:00am on February 12. Later in the day, DB Sub-inspector Md Ripon Uddin, also the investigation officer of the case, produced Ron before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ashek Imam.
After hearing, the magistrate granted Ron ad interim bail on grounds that his father died recently and his namaz-e-janaza will be held the next day.
On May 19 last year, Exim Bank Director Lt Col (retd) Serajul Islam filed the case accusing Ron and his brother Dipu of torturing and trying to kill the bank's Managing Director Mohammed Haider Ali Miah and Additional Managing Director Mohammad Feroz Hossain.
The two top officials were attacked after they refused to falsely inflate the value of Sikder brothers' property that would be mortgaged for a loan of Tk 500 crore, according to the case statement.
